Jannik Sinner Slammed by Former No. 1: “His Level Has Dropped”
The dominance of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz on the ATP Tour continues to fuel debate among industry insiders and former champions. Among the most authoritative—and, at the same time, most outspoken is that of Marat Safin, who has made no secret of his skepticism regarding the current level of men’s tennis, going so far as to argue that today’s two top players would have faced far greater difficulties during the era of the Big Three or even in the early 2000s.
During a conversation posted on YouTube alongside his sister Dinara Safina and former tennis player Anna Chakvetadze, the Russian clarified that he did not intend to question the talent of the Italian and the Spaniard, but believed that the competitive landscape has changed profoundly. “They’re not even close to Federer’s level. It’s a completely different level. To reach Federer’s level, they still have a long way to go,” Safin said.
The former world No. 1 then reiterated his thoughts on comparing them to the great champions of the recent past. “I don’t want to belittle anyone. It’s simply my point of view. If Sinner and Alcaraz had played in the era of Nadal and Djokovic, or even in the early 2000s, they wouldn’t have become world number one or number two. I don’t think they would have made it that far.”
According to Safin, the real problem lies in the overall decline in the level of play on the ATP Tour. “The level of tennis has dropped. I don’t know why this happened, but it’s not the same anymore,” he said, recalling how, during his career, the path through tournaments was much more competitive right from the early rounds.
The former Russian champion finally highlighted what, in his view, is the main difference compared to the past: the depth of the field. “Back then, there were thirty or fifty players capable of playing extraordinary tennis. Today, at most, there are ten. They reach the semifinals or finals without losing a set, and I find this situation almost ridiculous,” Safin concluded, fueling a debate that is bound to spark discussion among fans of different generations of world tennis.
