Tennis was treated to an era-defining, epic three-way rivalry in the shape of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, and it seemed unthinkable that something possibly even greater would come along. But Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are tearing up what seemed possible in the sport, as a striking statistic ahead of the US Open shows.
If it wasn’t already clear that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are turning men’s tennis into a two-horse race, then an extraordinary new statistic that has emerged on the eve of the US Open confirms it.
Alcaraz and Sinner are the pre-eminent duo in the men’s game, striding confidently into the void left by the retirement of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, with Novak Djokovic likely not far off his own swansong.
The young pair are gluttonously hoovering up titles like their ‘Big Three’ predecessors used to do, and should one of them win the upcoming US Open, they will have completed a clean sweep of Grand Slams in the last two years.
Ahead of the singles action kicking off at Flushing Meadows, another barometer of their success has been revealed.
Per Opta, Alcaraz and Sinner have won the title in 15 of the 16 ATP-level events they have both appeared in since the start of 2024, with just a single exception.
Which unlikely player was responsible for this solo anomaly?
None other than Andrey Rublev, who took the Madrid title in 2024 after beating Alcaraz in fine style, and then seeing Sinner withdraw on the other side of the draw as he nursed a hip injury.
With Alcaraz less successful during Sinner’s absence from the tour earlier this year, it demonstrates how they are pushing each other to new heights.
The US Open will see their rivalry take on another chapter, and the questions surround primarily the condition of Sinner, who could only play five games in last week’s Cincinnati Open final against Alcaraz as fans were denied the chance to see the pair slug it out once more.
Can anyone challenge the top two seeds?
The US Open has sometimes proved the likeliest major for a surprise champion, with Juan Martin del Potro, Marin Cilic, Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev all managing to outdo the big names and grab the title in New York over recent years.