Del Potro takes aim at Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz
They haven’t faced each other since the Monte Carlo final, but the matchup between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz remains a topic of discussion among tennis insiders. After winning Wimbledon, the Italian was forced to take a break due to a knee injury, while the champion from Murcia returned to the US Open after nearly four and a half years away due to wrist problems.
Yet there’s no doubt that these two young stars have been the best players on the tour over the past three seasons. Juan Martin Del Potro, a former US Open champion, shared his preference with ESPN. “For me, Alcaraz is the best—the most well-rounded player. He has a freshness in his game that Sinner perhaps lacks. Both have immense talent, but Carlos can vary his pace whenever he wants; he finds different solutions for every shot. I’m a big fan of his.”
Del Potro, however, still can’t quite compare them to the Big Three, even though…: “Carlitos and Jannik have a great opportunity to close the gap on them; they’re playing much better than the rest. So, from my perspective, they have a great chance to keep winning the biggest tournaments and get closer. But for now, I can’t compare them to the Big Three. Those others, to me, are something special. I’ve played against them my entire career. I know how strong they are and how difficult it was to achieve everything they’ve done for tennis.”
The issue of injuries, however, threatens to overshadow this duopoly. It was at the 2026 U.S. Open that Alcaraz sounded a real alarm on the tour: “I don’t want to be forced to stop because of an injury anymore; I’ll take longer breaks in the future. I won’t be out for four months, but one or two, yes—even if it means skipping some major tournaments. It’s impossible to be on the court all the time.” The Spaniard pointed the finger at an increasingly packed schedule: “Between Masters 1000s, Grand Slams, and obligations imposed by the ATP, a top-ranked player is expected to play forty weeks a year. We need more time for recovery and planning, also to prevent injuries.” It’s a message Sinner would likely agree with.
