Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s rivalry is one of the dominant, most captivating storylines in tennis right now.
After all, their duopoly over men’s tennis is overwhelming, with nobody even coming close to them.
It is true that, if both are in a tournament, one of them is almost certain to win it. That happened all through 2025 and is expected to persist into the new year too.
However, that has since brought about a new narrative regarding who is ahead in this actual rivalry.
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Whilst Carlos Alcaraz boasts more Grand Slam titles and is the current world number one, others will argue that Jannik Sinner is far more consistent and will therefore finish his career as the more successful of the two.
Ivan Ljubicic, famed for his esteemed playing career and years coaching Milos Raonic and Roger Federer, has now weighed in on this debate.
Carlos Alcaraz told he is currently ahead of Jannik Sinner
Speaking to Puntodebreak, he admitted that nobody comes close to this pair. Interestingly, he does not see that changing anytime soon either.
The Croatian claimed: “Yes, I think things will continue in this direction. I think so because both Carlos and Jannik keep improving, keep adding things to their tennis. Their experience in important matches and under pressure continues to grow.
“The rest are not there; they don’t reach that level, so I don’t expect anything to change in the next two or three years. Perhaps someone will emerge, but it will be individual performances here and there; I don’t think they will challenge Carlos and Jannik on a global level throughout the year. It’s interesting.”
He then touched upon the varied personalities and play styles of the two, adding: “They are two different players, two different personalities, so it’s great to see that contrast every time they face each other. The numbers show that Carlos is slightly ahead of Jannik; he is also a bit younger, but it’s fascinating and fantastic for tennis to have a rivalry like this right after the Big Three.”
What makes this rivalry so captivating is their shared desire to continue improving, pushing one another to reach new levels of greatness.
In fact, Alcaraz improved one area of his game to be statistically better than Sinner over 2025, and a retort from the Italian in 2026 is expected.
Carlos Alcaraz compared to Roger Federer
Ljubicic was not finished there though, and naturally could not conclude his interview without speaking about Federer.
After all, his association with the silky Swiss superstar remains one of his crowning achievements, having helped navigate the 44-year-old to three Grand Slam titles and four ATP Finals triumphs throughout the latter period of his career.
Asked about whether Alcaraz shares any similarities to Federer, Ljubicic did not shoot down the notion.
Instead, he admitted: “In terms of tennis… maybe. Yes. In terms of personality and character, I think they are completely different, and I don’t believe you can disconnect one from the other. However, right now, Carlos is the most creative player; he is the player who generates the most excitement on a tennis court.
“Still, I think it’s too early to talk about these things (he smiles). Yes, I believe he generates those emotions in tennis fans, in people who love this sport; he brings something different. There was a moment, five or ten years ago, when we were afraid that all players would be the same. He brought a different angle through his tennis. It’s fantastic.”
