Jannik Sinner has taken full advantage of Carlos Alcaraz’s absence from the ATP Tour.
Alcaraz, a seven-time major champion, has been unable to compete on the Tour since suffering a worrying wrist injury at the Barcelona Open in April.
The Spaniard has consequently missed Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and he is unlikely to return before the US Open.
Sinner has capitalised on Alcaraz’s absence and successfully defended his Wimbledon title.
The Italian rallied to defeat Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s final, triumphing 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Centre Court.
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Jimmy Connors has since compared Sinner and Alcaraz’s games, determining which player is the ‘one to beat’ on the ATP Tour at this current moment.
Jimmy Connors says Jannik Sinner is the ‘one to beat’ on the ATP Tour ahead of Carlos Alcaraz
“His game – whether Alcaraz is in there or not – from my standpoint is the one to beat,” Connors, a five-time US Open champion, said on the Advantage Connors podcast.
“I know Alcaraz mixes it up and does a few different things than he does, but for a big guy the way he moves around the court and the firmness and the power that he hits his groundstrokes is very impressive.”
Connors went on to discuss Alcaraz’s injury situation in greater depth, explaining that physical troubles are commonplace for every player on the professional circuit.
“Guys do get hurt, guys retire,” said Connors. “It’s part of the game.
“It’s part of putting your reputation on the line week after week. It’s part of the training, that’s why these guys have six or seven guys to say maybe you have to pull back a little bit or play a little more.
“As much as he is missed. I missed a couple of tournaments too and people would say we miss Jimmy or Bjorn, but the tournament still goes on.”
Fans of the Spaniard received a positive update recently, as Alcaraz was pictured practising groundstrokes with his right hand for the first time since suffering the wrist injury.
The timeline for Alcaraz’s return is uncertain, and it seems unlikely that he will make his comeback before August.
The 23-year-old is not on the entry list for the Canadian Open, which starts on August 1.
However, Alcaraz is reportedly aiming to make his return at the Cincinnati Open – an event that begins on August 13.
Alcaraz is the defending champion in Cincinnati. He defeated Jannik Sinner in last year’s final after the Italian was forced to retire at 0-5 due to illness.
Rick Macci reacts to Jannik Sinner’s Wimbledon triumph
Macci, the former coach of Serena and Venus Williams, has offered his take on Sunday’s Wimbledon final.
The legendary figure, who has also worked with Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova, lauded Sinner’s performance on social media.
“Sinner is cut from a different cloth,” the American coach said on X. “The red rocket has won on every surface and has dominated every opponent and put in his back pocket.
“His mind is so sharp and keen and quality off both wings is like the sport has not ever seen.
What would have happened if Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner played at the same time as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal?
“Unreal firepower relaxed and free and his angles open up Wimbledon Centre Court like the Red Sea.”
Sinner will hope to win his sixth Grand Slam title later this year when he competes at the US Open.
The Italian won his second major title at the event in 2024, beating Taylor Fritz in the final.
