THE "NEW 2" TRICK: WHAT CARLOS ALCARAZ AND JANNIK SINNER PICKED UP FROM STUDYING FEDERER’S LATE CAREER
Jim Courier claims Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner could go head-to-head with the Big 4. Read the full tactical analysis here.
Jim Courier doesn’t see any real flaws in Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz. In fact, he’s convinced these two could have gone toe-to-toe with the legendary ‘Big 4’.
Right now, Alcaraz is the world No. 1, Sinner sits just behind him at No. 2, and they’ve basically taken over men’s tennis. Nobody else is even close in the ATP Rankings.
Between them, they’ve snagged the last nine Grand Slam singles trophies. If they win just two more, they’ll match Federer and Nadal’s record of 11 straight majors as a duo.
Alcaraz already has seven Grand Slam singles titles and has racked up 58 weeks (and counting) as world No. 1. He just completed the Career Grand Slam after his win at the Australian Open.
Sinner spent 66 weeks at the top himself and owns four Grand Slam titles. He’s got a shot to complete his own career Grand Slam at the French Open this spring.
These two have jumped straight into the spotlight after the era of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray—the ‘Big 4’ who once ruled the sport.
On the Tennis Insider Club podcast, Courier called Sinner and Alcaraz the ‘New 2’ and said they’d absolutely have been able to challenge those legends.
“Look at the last year and a half—they’ve won everything,” Courier said. “They can handle any surface, they’re both young, and they move like nobody else.”
He added, “Honestly, I think they would’ve gone head-to-head with the Big Four. They probably studied those guys and picked up all their tricks. Jannik’s game and movement remind me a lot of Novak. Carlos? He’s just unique. He’s taken the best bits from everyone.”
Right now, Alcaraz and Sinner are way ahead of the rest of the ATP field. Even 38-year-old Djokovic is probably the only one who looks like he could give them trouble.
People keep asking when someone else from their generation will finally catch up. Names like Ben Shelton, Jack Draper, and Joao Fonseca get thrown around as future contenders, but honestly, nobody’s really come close. The gap’s only getting wider.
Courier went on to say that what sets Sinner and Alcaraz apart is their total lack of weaknesses.
“There was a time when top players had holes in their games. Not anymore. Sinner and Alcaraz? No weak spots,” he said.
“That changes everything. Technique matters more than ever. The game’s so fast now, you have to attack from everywhere. That’s pretty new.
“Even Rafa eventually erased his weaknesses. Roger switched rackets late in his career, and suddenly his backhand turned into a weapon—especially against Rafa.
“In my day, even Pete Sampras had a safe side to attack—his backhand. But with these guys, there’s nowhere to hide. You’re never comfortable.”
After their runs at the Australian Open, both Alcaraz and Sinner are set to play again at the Qatar Open next week.
WHY DID 22 PLAYERS SUDDENLY WITHDRAW FROM THE 2026 ITALIAN OPEN MID-TOURNAMENT?
Discover the full list of injured stars, including Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu, forced out of the 2026 Italian Open.
At the 2026 Italian Open, the number of players who have withdrawn or retired during matches has climbed to 22, spanning both the ATP and WTA competitions.
By midweek, 17 players had already exited the combined ATP/WTA 1000 event in Rome. Since then, an additional three men and two women have followed suit.
Before the draws were even announced on Monday, prominent names like Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Jack Draper, and Marketa Vondrousova had pulled out. On the opening day of the women’s tournament, Tuesday, Marta Kostyuk and Emma Raducanu also withdrew.
Amanda Anisimova, ranked sixth in the WTA, stepped back before her first match on Thursday due to a left wrist injury. Meanwhile, Victoria Mboko, who is ninth in the world, withdrew before playing on Friday because of a gastrointestinal illness.
Valentin Vacherot, the 16th-ranked player on the ATP tour, pulled out shortly before his scheduled second-round match against Marin Cilic on Friday, citing a foot injury.
Tomas Machac, holding the 41st spot in the men's rankings, also withdrew ahead of his second-round encounter with Daniil Medvedev after an impactful win against Stefanos Tsitsipas in round one.
Arthur Fils, ranked 17th, retired during his opening match against Andrea Pellegrino on Saturday, trailing 0-4, due to hip pain.
Here’s a rundown of the withdrawals on the ATP side: Carlos Alcaraz (No. 2) was replaced by Sebastian Ofner; Taylor Fritz (No. 7) by Zachary Svajda; Valentin Vacherot (No. 16) by Martin Landaluce; Arthur Rinderknech (No. 24) by Aleksandar Kovacevic; Holger Rune (No. 40) by Damir Dzumhur; Gabriel Diallo (No. 46) by Alexander Blockx; Jack Draper (No. 50) by Hamad Medjedovic; Raphael Collignon (No. 68) by Alexandre Muller; Reilly Opelka (No. 74) by Aleksandar Vukic; Arthur Cazaux (No. 73) by Mattia Bellucci; Kamil Majchrzak (No. 76) by Roberto Bautista Agut; and Eliot Spizzirri (No. 92) by James Duckworth.
On the WTA side, Amanda Anisimova (No. 6) was replaced by Elena Gabriela Ruse from Romania; Victoria Mboko (No. 9) by Nikola Bartunkova; Marta Kostyuk (No. 15) by Ajla Tomljanovic; Emma Raducanu (No. 30) by Lilli Tagger; Marketa Vondrousova (No. 44) by Solana Sierra; Sonay Kartal (No. 56) by Zeynep Sonmez; Varvara Gracheva (No. 61) by Eva Lys; and Veronika Kudermetova (No. 70) by Petra Marcinko.
THE "REST OVER REPS" PLAN: WHY JANNIK SINNER IS SNUBBING HALLE FOR WIMBLEDON
After 23 consecutive wins, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner adjusts his schedule to target a Career Grand Slam and Wimbledon glory.
Jannik Sinner has already logged a heavy schedule this year, with deep runs in recent Masters 1000 tournaments keeping him on court against top-tier competition regularly. Given this demanding stretch, he’s taken a fresh look at his calendar and decided to skip the Halle Open, carving out a three-week break between Roland Garros and his Wimbledon title defence.
The 2024 Wimbledon champion won’t be heading to Germany for the grass-court event. That’s notable since Sinner claimed that Wimbledon crown in impressive fashion, overcoming two-time winner Carlos Alcaraz to secure his first major title away from hardcourts. That victory was his latest Grand Slam, following Alcaraz’s wins at the previous two majors.
After Roland Garros, where he seeks to complete the career Grand Slam, Sinner plans to recharge rather than pile on more tournaments before Wimbledon. Without Alcaraz in sight, he’s considered a favourite to maintain his remarkable run. His recent haul includes titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, and, most recently, Madrid. Now, he’s setting his sights on Rome, his home turf, where he’s never clinched a win but is eager to continue an ambitious streak of Masters 1000 victories, aiming for a sixth in a row.
Post-Rome, he’ll take a week off before the French Open begins. In total, Sinner has played 23 matches over the last two months without tasting defeat. If he wants to lift the Rome trophy, he’ll need to notch six more wins, then potentially battle through seven more rounds in Paris. This demanding schedule partly explains his choice to forgo Halle.
As for the 2026 Halle Open, fans might be disappointed not to see the world number one, but the field remains strong. Heading the draw is Alexander Zverev, a local favourite who has yet to claim a grass-court title or even one on home soil. With Sinner out, this could be a prime opportunity for Zverev to break through.
The American players are also well represented. The U.S. hasn’t seen a finalist here since Mardy Fish in 2004, but Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton might be poised to change that, especially Fritz, who has already shown grass prowess with titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne last year.
Defending champion Alexander Bublik, who ousted Sinner on his way to victory and took down Daniil Medvedev in the final, will be back aiming to repeat. Alongside him, names like Andrey Rublev, Flavio Cobolli, and Frances Tiafoe are also set to compete. The tournament runs from June 15 to 21, promising plenty of exciting tennis.
