Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have taken tennis into a new era with their dominance on the ATP Tour.
Alcaraz and Sinner have received ‘big three’ comparisons for their performances, as they have split the last nine Grand Slams between them.
Sinner has stumbled ever so slightly in 2026, but Alcaraz has continued his fine form by picking up the Australian Open and the Qatar Open.
As their dominance over the ATP Tour continues, Olympic gold medalist Nicolas Massu has claimed Sinner and Alcaraz need longevity to become the best tennis players ever.
Nicolas Massu says Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner must show their dominance over a longer period
Massu, whose Chile team could meet Alcaraz in the Davis Cup, has heaped praise on the best two players in the world.
“Their results are magnificent, extraordinary, and what they have in common is their youth,” the Chilean said of Sinner and Alcaraz.
“You watch them play, and they play incredibly fast; they have so much talent. Each has their own style and personality. Their presence is very good for tennis and for those coming up behind them.”
What would have happened if Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner played at the same time as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal?
Massu did, however, concede that Sinner and Alcaraz might now have it tougher because players are even more desperate to beat them.
Sinner was shocked by Jakub Mensik, while Alcaraz was given two tough tests in Doha against Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev.
“It happened to me in my career because I looked at the players who were achieving results and wanted to compete with them and beat them, and that makes you improve,” added Massu.
“You push yourself much harder because the motivation is so high. Carlos and Jannik are winning almost every tournament, and that should motivate the players behind them to want to face them and, why not, win a match against the very best.”
Despite Massu’s positive thoughts on Sinner and Alcaraz, he believes they must continue their performances to join the elite conversation of best tennis players of all time.
He added: “If they keep this up, they’ll be among the greatest in the history of tennis because they’re still young.”
Massu reached the top 10 of the ATP Tour rankings and played each of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal in his career.
The only member of the ‘big three’ Massu was able to beat was Federer, who he beat in Long Island in 2002.
Who could challenge Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz?
Throughout the 2025 season, the gap between Sinner and Alcaraz and the rest of the ATP Tour seemed to be getting bigger.
However, the chasm appears to be growing smaller and smaller as we approach the third month of the 2026 season.
Jack Draper is the ATP’s best bet at unsettling Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s dominance – prove us wrong…
The likes of Jakub Mensik and Arthur Fils have shown exceptional promise, with the latter reaching the Qatar Open final.
Likewise, Jack Draper’s return to tennis is a very good sign. He possesses all the correct weapons to challenge the top two players in the world.
Djokovic also proved that he still has what it takes on the grandest stages to push both Sinner and Alcaraz to their limits.
