The budding rivalry between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz bears an uncanny resemblance to the early days of the Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal rivalry.
First to beat one another at main finals
Sinner was 3-0 in main finals till his loss to Alcaraz on the 2025 French Open. Alcaraz was 5-0 in slam finals till his loss to Sinner in Sunday’s Wimbledon championship match. Guess what? The identical destiny befell Nadal and Federer in 2006. Federer was 7-0 in main finals till his loss to Nadal on the 2006 French Open, and Nadal was 2-0 in slam finals earlier than dropping to Federer at 2006 Wimbledon.
The Wimbledon-French double whammy
The interval between 2006 and 2008 noticed Federer and Nadal conflict in three consecutive French Open and Wimbledon finals. This yr, Alcaraz and Sinner joined the retired legends as the one duo within the Open Period to fulfill within the grass and clay courtroom majors in the same season. In the event that they had been to do it once more in 2026 and 2027, the parallels will change into even eerier.
Separating themselves from the pack
Alcaraz (three) and Sinner (4) have captured the final seven majors amongst them. The longest-ever streak for majors received by two gamers belongs to Federer and Nadal, who claimed 11 titles amongst them between the 2005 French Open and 2007 U.S. Open. Once more, if Sinner and Alcaraz share the following 4 slams — a sensible risk — the comparability grows stronger. They’re at the moment simply two shy of equaling Novak Djokovic and Nadal’s streak of 9 majors between the 2010 French Open and 2012 French Open.
Their solely competitors is one another
Everybody remembers Federer working roughshod by way of the tennis world from 2005-08, besides when he met Nadal. Federer was 1-6 in his first seven outings in opposition to Nadal, however started to show the tide with the 2006 Wimbledon ultimate win. The same pattern is going on between Sinner and Alcaraz. For the reason that begin of 2024, Sinner is 98-4 against everyone else and 1-5 in opposition to Alcaraz, after ending a five-match dropping streak to the Spaniard at Wimbledon. Maybe the win at The Championships helps him flip a nook within the rivalry, too.
Whereas will probably be enjoyable to comply with the rivalry between Alcaraz, 22, and Sinner, 23, unfold within the coming years, their dominance spells catastrophe for the remainder of the ATP circuit — at the least till a 3rd dominant participant joins the fray, very similar to Djokovic did round 2010.
Alas, historical past is repeating itself.
