Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are ranked first and second in the world and have dominated the last six Grand Slam tournaments.
Earlier this month, Sinner and Alcaraz met for the 12th time in the final of the 2025 French Open.
In what was regarded as one of the greatest Grand Slam finals in tennis, Alcaraz rallied to defeat Sinner with a score of 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6.
After nearly five and a half hours of intense play on Court Philippe Chatrier, Alcaraz emerged victorious against his Italian opponent once again.
In their rivalry over the past year, Alcaraz has maintained a strong head-to-head record, winning all five of their matchups. As Sinner seeks ways to overcome Alcaraz, a notable ATP coach has outlined two areas for improvement.
Toni Nadal Suggests Improvements for Sinner
In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Toni Nadal, former coach to Rafael Nadal, pointed out aspects of Sinner’s game that require attention.
“I speak as an outside observer; Sinner’s coaches are fully aware of what needs enhancement,” said Nadal. “He has an excellent serve, powerful forehand and backhand, and is quite solid. However, he could improve his drop shots, as he sometimes rushes his shots.”
“In contrast, Carlos [Alcaraz] exhibits more creativity. Everyone can make adjustments; even [Roger] Federer refined his backhand. Jannik will keep adding minor improvements to evolve as a player,” he added.
Nadal elaborated on why Alcaraz has the upper hand in their rivalry, stating, “I believe Alcaraz is mentally slightly stronger in critical moments, while Sinner excels at maintaining a high pace without errors. However, in decisive situations, Carlos tends to be marginally superior.”
Sinner has faced Alcaraz in five decisive sets since the beginning of 2024, often finishing on the losing side due to narrow margins. If matches had tilted the other way, their head-to-head record would look quite different.
