MELBOURNE, Australia — Carlos Alcaraz, while refining his newly improved serve during training, is focused on strengthening a game that has already seen him win four Grand Slam titles. He is particularly aware of his formidable opponent, Jannik Sinner.
“The good thing for me is, when I’m seeing him winning titles, when I’m seeing him at the top of the rankings, it pushes me to work even harder in practice,” Alcaraz mentioned. He feels that this competition from Sinner provides him with the motivation to enhance his skills daily as he prepares for their potential matches.
As Alcaraz, 21, and Sinner, 23, embark on the 2025 tennis season, they are positioned at the forefront of men’s tennis following a year that hinted at their bright futures. With Rafael Nadal now retired and Roger Federer also stepping away, Novak Djokovic remains the last member of the legendary trio in professional tennis. It appears Alcaraz and Sinner have distinguished themselves from their peers, each having secured two of the four major singles titles in 2024.
Traditionally, the accolades in tennis were largely held by Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic, and aspiring champions often had to conquer at least one, if not two, from this elite group. The landscape has shifted now, but the competitive nature remains unchanged.
“I feel like now, with Jannik and with Carlos, it kind of moved toward the same way, just with new guys. You have to go through them to win big tournaments. It’s as simple as that,” remarked Alexander Zverev, a seasoned competitor who is seeded No. 2 at the Australian Open, positioned alongside No. 1 Sinner and No. 3 Alcaraz. “They both won two Grand Slams last year. They’re undoubtedly the top players in the world, and to clinch any tournament, defeating them is essential.”
Sinner enters the Australian Open as the reigning champion and added the U.S. Open trophy in September to his collection, rounding out a year where he held a remarkable 73-6 win-loss record and captured eight titles. Though he faced challenges, including a doping issue in which he tested positive for trace amounts of anabolic steroids—attributed to unintentional exposure through a massage from his trainer—he was cleared of wrongdoing. The World Anti-Doping Agency has since appealed this ruling, with a private hearing scheduled at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland on April 16-17.
Last January, Alcaraz exited the Australian Open during the quarterfinals, losing to Zverev. Nevertheless, he rebounded triumphantly, winning both the French Open and Wimbledon, defeating Zverev and Djokovic respectively in the finals of each event.
On the opening day of the tournament, Zverev is set to compete against wild-card player Lucas Pouille during the evening session, following a match featuring defending champion Aryna Sabalenka against Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open winner. Other prominent players slated for Day 1 include 2024 Australian runner-up Zheng Qinwen and Casper Ruud, a three-time major finalist.
Alcaraz, Sinner, and Djokovic, alongside five-time major winner Iga Swiatek, are scheduled to begin their campaigns either Monday or Tuesday. If Alcaraz, who first attained a major title at the 2022 U.S. Open at just 19, secures victory at this Australian Open, he would make history as the youngest male player to achieve a career Grand Slam, capturing at least one title from each of tennis’s four major tournaments.
“It’s truly remarkable,” commented former player Feliciano Lopez, reflecting on Alcaraz’s impressive accomplishments over the past three years.
The burgeoning rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner is already sparking interest akin to that of legendary showdowns like Federer vs. Nadal or Djokovic vs. Nadal. “You have more eyes on us,” Sinner noted, emphasizing the public’s anticipation for their matches.
Currently, Alcaraz holds a slight edge in their head-to-head, leading 6-4. In 2024 alone, he triumphed in all three encounters against Sinner, who managed an impressive 73-3 record against other players, with losses only to Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
“When I’m playing against him, I have to switch my mindset a bit. Facing the best player in the world requires a different approach—whether in preparation or mentality,” Alcaraz explained. “When I’m up against him, I know I have to bring my best game to win. If I don’t perform well, the odds are highly in his favor.”
