Goran Ivanisevic, former coach of Novak Djokovic with whom he wrote years of tennis history, has started following the Kazakh tennis player Elena Rybakina, but, in a recent interview with Tennis Majors, he addressed many interesting topics, including the Serbian champion status and the rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
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The Croatian coach analyzed the legendary Serb's ambitions to win more Slams in 2025, explaining: "I don't know if he's motivated and how much, but the moment he decides to play it means he wants it. Sinner and Alcaraz are definitely superior to the rest of the competition but I put Novak in the group with them, because when he really wants to play he's still the best in the world in my opinion. We saw him at the Olympics, if he goes out there like that he can still win a Slam. It will depend more on his ranking and the draw, but you can never write him off. I would never do that."
Goran was asked who is the better player between Carlitos and Jannik, a question to which he replied: "They are different players. When they are both at their best, I think Sinner is better. He is more consistent throughout the match, Alcaraz is able to go from incredible shots to some easy mistakes. This year Carlos has had some losses that I can't explain. If you take Novak out of the equation, they will dominate the Tour. They are way above everyone else."
Here I disagree with Ivanisevic: at their best I think Alcaraz is way superior to Sinner. And on (almost all surfaces). The data shows it. The young Spaniard leads the head-to-head 6-4, this year he has defeated his Italian rival in 3 matches out of 3 played. And he did it on clay-courts and on outdoor hard-courts. The general feeling is that Carlitos is superior to Jannik on both clay-courts and grass-courts, while there is a substantial balance on outdoor hard-courts. Indoor hard-courts are currently the least congenial surface for the 4-time Slam champion. Alcaraz is more complete and has a tennis that reaches peaks of great beauty, combined with a good dose of unpredictability. Sinner will be a more consistent tennis player, but he is less talented; the day Alcaraz finds consistency, there will be no more stories for anyone. Let's not forget that Carlitos, at 21, has won 4 Majors, Jannik, at 23, has won 2. I close by saying that physically the young Spaniard is better prepared, that's why, all things considered, I consider Alcaraz superior to Sinner.
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Returning to talk about the young Italian, Goran Ivanisevis expressed his opinion on the Clostebol doping issue that involved Jannik and that exploded at the end of August. The case was reopened through an appeal filed by WADA - following the investigation and the decision of the independent ITIA tribunal that gave the green light to the Italian to continue his activity on the Tour due to the absence of guilt and negligence. The fact occurred at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, a tournament in which the Italian then lost points and the prize money he had won. Two tests, carried out during and after the tournament, revealed an infinitesimal quantity of the substance in the athlete's body. The number 1 in the ATP ranking was suspended twice for a few days, winning the related appeal to interrupt the period of inactivity. The ruling, on August 15, proved him right again.
Between January and February there could be a response to the WADA appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne: the request is a 1-2 year ban from the court, which Sinner naturally hopes not to receive after the evidence and the detailed reconstruction presented of what happened.
In the same interview with Tennis Majors, Ivanisevic explained: "I sincerely hope they leave him alone and let him play, tennis needs Sinner. With Marin Cilic I had to deal with WADA and people like that, which I didn't like. They just wanted to destroy someone's life. I hope the outcome is positive for Jannik."
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