Mens tennis seems to have well-defined hierarchies for the next 10 or 15 years. 2024 saw the final consecration of Jannik Sinner who - after having improved a lot already in the last part of last year - was dominant for most of this season winning two Grand Slam titles and three Masters 1000. The only six losses suffered throughout 2024 allowed the Italian ace to create a really huge gap compared to all his pursuers, including his great rival Carlos Alcaraz, although the young Spaniard won the French Open and the Wimbledon Championships.
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The rivalry between Jannik and Carlitos is very exciting for fans around the world, who see in them the hegemony of the Big 3 (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic). These two young champions have already faced each other eleven times on the professional tour, including the clash at the Challenger in Alicante, producing almost always a memorable show.
Their matches are often exciting because they offer a contrast of styles, which is crucial to make the challenges even more special. In addition, Sinner and Alcaraz respect each other very much and have a great relationship even outside the tennis court. After the splendid final in Beijing a few weeks ago, the top two ATP ranking players shared the same flight to reach Shanghai.
A new criticism
Despite the fact that Italian is number 1 in the world and is living a dream season, former players and professionals seem to prefer the style of play of Alcaraz. The 21-year-old Spaniard has a more varied and complete style of play, while the 23-year-old from Sesto Pusteria has a very constant level without too many variations.
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Former world number 1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov has attacked current World No.1 Jannik Sinner. And the former Russian tennis player does not go down easy on it saying that the Italian is a tennis player "stupidly designed to hit" and that only Carlos Alcaraz can be placed on par with the Big 3.
And he ventures a comparison between the Italian tennis player and two players of his time, namely Swede Tomas Johansson and Slovak Dominic Hrbaty. Speaking to the podcast "Best Tennis", Kafelnikov has made critical judgments against the champion of the Australian Open and US Open 2024.
According to the former Russian tennis player Sinner "is a serial hit-man, a high level player but it is unidimensional or lacking the versatility of play that characterizes the great champions". For the winner of Roland Garros 1996 and Australian Open 1999, Sinner is "stupidly designed to hit, a modernized and modified version of players like Hrbaty and Johansson". Lets remember that Hrbaty was the worlds top 12 while Johansson, who won a Grand Slam in Australia in 2002 in the final over Marat Safin, was World No.7.
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Kafenikov instead praises Carlos Alcaraz considered as the "Big 3" Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. "I think - continued Kafelnikov - that in terms of potential and talent Alcaraz is not at all inferior to the 'Big 3', Djokovic, Nadal and Federer. Sinner is another issue...". Former world number 1 also praised Novak Djokovic: "He has a lot in his arsenal, he can play both in attack and defense".
A decidedly shearing judgment that of Kafelnikov on the current number 1 in the world that will not be able to create debate. Despite external pressure, the two-time Grand Slam champion has benefited from his mental strength and the support of his team to achieve great results in 2024.
Jannik is ready for Paris-Bercy
It will not be easy to achieve the same results next year, but Jannik seems to possess the right mental solidity to make history of this sport. The next tournament of the Italian ace will be the Masters 1000 in Paris-Bercy, where he will debut against the winner of the match between Ben Shelton and Felix Auger-Aliassime. Sinner has no easy path in the French capital and will need his best tennis to get far in this tournament.
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Before the start of the last Masters 1000 of the season, Jannik reflected on his current status: "It was a long year, now everything can happen. Some are cooler, others are tired. I personally feel that we made some very good choices during the whole season trying to be ready for the final part. I havent played so many tournaments and in the ones Ive faced Ive gone far enough: my condition at the moment is good".
He also added: Playing on this surface against tennis players who serve well is always complicated. But we go day by day, one opponent after another. Who between Shelton and Auger-Aliassime? Against Ben it was always a difficult matchup. With Felix I never won. I will try to prepare myself for the first challenge of the tournament, I cant wait".
