By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, February 3, 2025
Carlos Alcaraz makes a definitive statement on "crazy" world No. 1 Jannik Sinner—and the challenge he poses.
Photo credit: ABN AMRO Open Facebook
No investigation is needed to confirm Jannik Sinner’s dominance.
The proof is in the fingerprints, says Carlos Alcaraz.
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World No. 3 Alcaraz says scan Sinner’s record—and see his hands all over major silverware—and you’ll recognize the truth: The 23-year-old Italian is the best in the world.
Meeting the media in Rotterdam ahead of his ABN AMRO Open opener, Alcaraz said Sinner’s level is “crazy” good and solidifies his status as premier player in the world.
“Jannik is the best right now,” Alcaraz told the media in Rotterdam. “He has lost only four or five matches in the past year, so it is crazy.
“I know people say who’s better out of us. They say Jannik is better or some say me. It is all discussion.”
Patrick Mouratoglou, coach of Naomi Osaka and former coach of Serena Williams and Holger Rune, said Sinner is not better than Alcaraz.
Pointing to the fact the pair split Slam spoils last season, that Alcaraz beat Sinner each time they played in 2024 and that the 21-year-old Spaniard is two years younger than the 23-year-old Italian and owns one more major, Mouratoglou said the two are equal despite rankings difference.
"Jannik is not above everyone; I don’t think he’s above Carlos," Mouratoglou said in an Instagram post last week. "I think when Carlos is at his best there is a real match and I’m not sure who is going to win.
"Nobody can say who is going to win. An all their matches have been extremely close, extremely uncertain and Carlos won some big ones against him. So I wouldn’t say that [Sinner] is above [Alcaraz].
“Those two—[Jannik] and Carlos—are above everyone else."
Sinner has won 80 of his last 86 matches with three of those six losses coming to Alcaraz at Indian Wells, Roland Garros and Beijing last season.
Alcaraz said Sinner’s sustained lofty level of play and phenomenal record over the last year make him clearly the best—and biggest challenge—in the sport.
“But for me, I think for a tennis player, we have to face Jannik,” Alcaraz said. “He is winning everything he is playing. He is focused every time, so I think he is the best. Every tournament he plays, he makes the final or lifts the trophy.”
The powerful Sinner has won three straight hard-court Grand Slams—joining Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Ivan Lendl and John McEnroe achieving that feat—and owns a 21-match hard-court winning streak and 21 consecutive wins overall since bowing to Alcaraz in Beijing last year.
While Sinner is hard-court king, Alcaraz ruled natural surfaces last season beating Sinner and Alexander Zverev back to back to win his maiden Roland Garros before downing Djokovic to defend Wimbledon.
Following his AO quarterfinal loss to Grand Slam king Djokovic in Melbourne, Alcaraz said he returned home to Spain and battled a cold that limited his training but still allowed him time to recover and refresh with his family and friends.
“Facing Novak in the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam is the worst thing,” Alcaraz said. “It was a pretty good match. I have tried to take the good things about that match and will look ahead now.”
The view in Rotterdam presents an immediate obstacle.
Alcaraz, who replaced Sinner as Rotterdam top seed when the Italian pulled out, opens against Dutchman and home hero Botic van de Zandschulp, who swept the Spaniard, 6-1, 7-5, 6-4, in the US Open second round last August.
“He’s a really tough player,” Alcaraz said. “The crowd will probably be against me but I will enjoy it.”