Ben Shelton Silences the Haters of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz
The American pointed in particular to the results achieved by the two rivals before their injury-related absences. “They’ve won two of the four Grand Slam tournaments played this year, and Sinner has also won five Masters 1000 titles. I don’t know to what extent one can say that their dominance has waned,” Shelton observed, emphasizing that the numbers paint a different picture than the notion of a decline.
2026 has been an unusual year for both champions. Alcaraz had started the season by winning the Australian Open, thereby completing his Career Grand Slam, before also claiming the title in Doha. A wrist injury then forced him to stay off the courts for several months, until his return at the U.S. Open.
Sinner, too, had started the year at an extraordinary pace, winning five Masters 1000 tournaments and defending his title at Wimbledon. After his victory at Wimbledon, however, problems with his right knee disrupted his schedule, forcing him to withdraw from subsequent events and postpone his return until 2027.
According to Shelton, the absences of these two top players have inevitably shifted the balance of power on the tour, offering greater opportunities to other players. This, however, does not mean that their superiority has diminished: “I think both will be in top form heading into the 2027 Australian Open. It was a shame for tennis that neither Carlos nor Jannik could compete for a good part of the season,” added the American.
