Mouratoglou Takes a Strong Stance on the Novak Djokovic-Jannik Sinner Matchup
Popular coach Patrick Mouratoglou spoke on his Facebook profile about Jannik Sinner and the qualities that make him the world’s number one: “What makes Jannik Sinner an absolute nightmare to face on the court?” asked Serena Williams’ former coach.
“Many people call him ‘Djokovic 2.0,’ and it makes perfect sense. His movement is incredible, his counterattacks are lethal, and he almost never makes mistakes. Plus, he’s now hitting the ball very early, leaving his opponent with no time at all. Right now, Carlos Alcaraz seems to be the only one capable of really giving him a hard time. Alcaraz has explosive power, and at his absolute best, he can play better tennis than Sinner. However, it’s extremely difficult to maintain that insane level for an entire match, while Sinner simply remains perfectly consistent.”
“That’s why their matchups are always so evenly matched and thrilling. Facing Sinner is exhausting because he can win the point from any position. You can never relax on the court, and you can never develop a strategy, because you’re always under maximum pressure. Ultimately, his greatest weapon isn’t just creating danger with every single shot… it’s the fact that he does so with almost robotic precision.”
The only head-to-head match between Sinner and Alcaraz in 2026 took place in the Monte Carlo final, with the Italian coming out on top. Precisely for this reason, Alcaraz’s current absence from the courts weighs particularly heavily on the tour: the Spaniard has been sidelined since the Barcelona tournament due to a wrist injury, missed Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and his withdrawal from Cincinnati has cast serious doubt on his participation in the US Open. According to former Grand Slam finalist Greg Rusedski, “there’s no chance he’ll play at the U.S. Open if he skipped the Cincinnati tournament,” while sources close to the Spaniard’s entourage report that Alcaraz has recovered only 55% of his peak form, with his team reportedly setting a minimum threshold of 85–90% before authorizing any return to competition.
