Juan Carlos Ferrero has drawn parallels between the burgeoning rivalry of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner to that of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s iconic duels during the early 2000s.
Sinner’s meteoric rise since his professional debut in 2018 has been nothing short of remarkable. The Italian phenom claimed victory at the ATP NextGen Finals in 2019, swiftly ascending into the top 100 rankings.
By 2020, he secured his maiden ATP Tour title at the Sofia Open. The following year, Sinner’s dominance saw him break into the ATP top 10 after clinching four titles and reaching his first Masters final at the Miami Open.
Despite a brief dip in the ATP top 10 in 2022, Sinner’s consistent performance remained evident, reaching the quarterfinals of multiple Grand Slam events and adding another ATP title to his name at the Croatia Open.
In 2023, his triumph at the Open Sud de France and impressive runs at prestigious tournaments solidified his position in the top echelons of men’s tennis.
Sinner’s remarkable form continued into 2024, marked by his first Grand Slam victory at the Australian Open and a subsequent finals’ appearance at the Rotterdam Open, where he is set to face Alex de Minaur.
Juan Carlos Ferrero, coach of World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz, drew attention to Sinner’s ascent and its implication for a compelling rivalry. In an interview with La Nacion, Ferrero likened the emergence of Sinner to the iconic rivalry of Federer and Nadal, with Novak Djokovic representing the next challenge for both Alcaraz and Sinner.
Reflecting on Alcaraz’s journey, Ferrero shared a conversation he had after Alcaraz’s loss to Djokovic in the 2023 Cincinnati Masters final, emphasizing the need for relentless dedication to match Djokovic’s level.
