World number two Iga Swiatek and Australian Open champ Elena Rybakina both made early exits from the Qatar Open on February 12, falling in the quarter-finals to Maria Sakkari and Victoria Mboko.

Swiatek, the top seed and defending champ, started strong; she broke Sakkari twice in the first set and looked on track for another easy win. But Sakkari, who’s had a tough stretch lately, dug in. She fought back, grabbing a tense 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 win. Afterward, Sakkari admitted, “It’s been a while since I had a big win like today.” She used to be ranked as high as No. 3 in the world back in 2022 but has slipped all the way down to 52. “When you drop in the rankings and you’re not playing good tennis, you start doubting yourself. You think you’re never going to beat those players again,” she said. “So it’s a huge process you have to go through in your head that you can do it.”

Sakkari, 30, had beaten Swiatek three times earlier in their careers, but not since 2021. Swiatek had won their last four matches, including a straight-sets victory in Qatar last year. “Last year, in the second round here against her, I was not confident; I was not believing in myself, and this year it’s different. I feel a lot better,” Sakkari said. She’ll now play either Karolina Muchova or Anna Kalinskaya in the semi-finals. “I’ve missed that feeling of going deep into tournaments.”

Swiatek, who dominated this event in 2022, 2023, and 2024, looked ready to do it again. But after dropping the first set, Sakkari found something extra. She broke early in the second set, and even though Swiatek kept responding, Sakkari steadied herself, broke again, and took the set. For the first time in their seven matches, they went to a deciding set. It was back-and-forth—Swiatek saved a match point, but Sakkari served out the win, finally sealing it on her third chance. The match lasted just under two and a half hours.

Right after that, Victoria Mboko kept her hot streak going. She beat Rybakina 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 in a match that was only six minutes shorter than the Sakkari-Swiatek battle. Mboko had already beaten Rybakina once this year, in the Montreal semi-finals, and she came out swinging again, breaking Rybakina’s serve three times in the first set. She dropped her own serve twice but still took the set. Rybakina bounced back to grab the second, but the 19-year-old Canadian had the edge in the third and closed it out 6-4.

Mboko, who lost to world number one Aryna Sabalenka in Melbourne a few weeks ago, now faces Jelena Ostapenko in the Doha semis. Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champ and last year’s runner-up, made it through by beating Elisabetta Cocciaretto 7-5, 6-4.

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.