If Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner retired tomorrow, they would both have enjoyed legendary careers and had one of the greatest rivalries of all time.
As it so happens, at 23 and 24 respectively, we are set to be blessed with their presence for the next decade.
Just as the Big Three began to see their influence wane, this duo emerged from seemingly nowhere and have picked up where they left off in terms of dominance.
All of the last nine Grand Slam titles have been won by either Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner.
That is why, speaking to TNT Sports, Jim Courier thinks we are already witnessing something truly legendary.
Jim Courier makes prediction about Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s rivalry
It’s sad to think that we will not be able to witness another famous meeting between these two at Roland Garros this year, with Alcaraz ruled out through injury.
Alas, with his absence confirmed, it feels like nobody will be able to stop Sinner from claiming the title and his Career Grand Slam.
Who do you think will retire with more Grand Slam titles?
Discussing their rivalry, Courier claimed: “They’re a new generation of players who grew up watching the ‘Big Three’ and have taken that prototype game and the best elements that Roger, Rafa, Novak, and Andy Murray also, brought to the table, and they put them into their little machines and spit out this sort of next-gen version of it.
“I’m not saying that they’re better players necessarily, but I’m saying that they play a faster brand of that same type of tennis because they’re playing with light equipment, they’re aggressive, they move that way.
”It’s early on in this rivalry, but if they’re healthy, this is going to be one of the game’s greatest rivalries.”
His point is further justified given that Sinner has already matched one of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s all-time records recently.
Mats Wilander says Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are already better than Roger Federer in key area
In that same interview, Wilander was also keen to offer his glowing verdict on this already legendary rivalry.
However, he drew comparisons with Roger Federer and Nadal rather than Federer and Novak Djokovic, and actually explained why he felt that Alcaraz and Sinner have both already surpassed the Swiss superstar in one area.
The Swedish star stated: “It does remind me of the rivalry that Roger Federer had eventually with Rafael Nadal.
”Federer had claimed most of his victories in the generation before, and then Rafa came, but no-one thought anyone could beat Roger Federer, and then Rafael Nadal comes along, and if you had to build a tennis player that could beat Roger Federer, you would build a left-hander with a lot of topspin.
Who would win this legendary showdown?
”Along comes Sinner and Alcaraz, and in one way they play quite similar. They play very fast, they move quite similar because they move very athletically, most probably more athletically than at least Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, maybe more so like Novak Djokovic, extremely flexible and extremely quick.
“But it’s different because there’s only the two of them, and we have been lucky enough to see them play each other on all three surfaces. Not in all Grand Slam finals, but we’re getting close to it, and the games are very similar on all three surfaces.”
Wilander was left stunned by their ability to stand so far up on the baseline and unload pure power, yet have such fine-tuned direction.
