Former Spanish Star Pinpoints Key Difference Between Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and the Rest of the Tour

Occupying the top spots in the rankings, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are two of the best players in the world right now.

Former Spanish Star Pinpoints Key Difference Between Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and the Rest of the Tour

Jannik SInner and Carlos Alcaraz (Image via Open Source)

Feliciano Lopez has given heavy praise to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. The former left-handed player claims that the tennis duo is not just ahead in terms of their skill set, but also because of their consistency.

Lopez believes that the ability of this duo to compete at the peak of their powers for five hours makes them different from the rest of the tour. Sinner and Alcaraz will headline Wimbledon as the top two seeds this year. Lopez said on Sky Sports:

Technically and physically, they are probably the best in the world. Also, for their mentality and their ability to maintain that level for so long…There are players at this moment who can play one or two sets, but Sinner and Alcaraz have the ability to play at such a high intensity for so long and I haven’t seen anyone else who can do it.

Sinner will be eyeing his first Wimbledon title this year. This will be the second successive year that he enters SW19 as the top seed. He lost to Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals last year. Meanwhile, Alcaraz will be looking for a third consecutive Wimbledon title. This feat will put him alongside the likes of Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic.

Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu set to get even more attraction

Emma Raducanu made a brief appearance on the member’s balcony during the closing moments of Carlos Alcaraz’s semi-final at Queen’s Club. While this seemed casual, parts of the media quickly turned it into a headline. Speculation about a possible romantic link between Alcaraz and Raducanu started circulating, despite lacking credible sources.

Carlos Alcaraz, Emma Raducanu
Carlos Alcaraz, Emma Raducanu (Image via X/alcaraz archive, Eurosport)

These rumors have mostly come from websites focused on generating clicks. Their stories often blur the line between fact and fiction. This week’s announcement that Alcaraz and Raducanu will team up for mixed doubles at the US Open added fuel to the gossip. A lighthearted promotional video they shared only gave more material for those eager to stir up rumors.

When asked about Raducanu watching his match, Alcaraz said he’d enjoy seeing her play at Wimbledon. That simple comment was all some outlets needed to spin further romance speculation. Stories like this often emerge during Wimbledon, when many temporary reporters show up just for this one major event.

These seasonal journalists tend to avoid covering matches in depth. Instead, they attend press conferences and ask off-topic questions. Their focus shifts from the sport itself to trivial personal details, leaving full-time tennis reporters frustrated with the direction of the conversation.

Jannik Sinner’s status as World No.1 during Wimbledon

Jannik Sinner heads into Wimbledon as World No. 1 for the second year in a row. No matter how he performs, the 23-year-old is guaranteed to leave London still holding the top ranking. However, the tournament remains crucial in the ongoing battle with Carlos Alcaraz, who is aiming for a third straight title at SW19 and is closing in on Sinner in the rankings.

Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner (Image via X/GamebredSports)

Sinner leads Alcaraz by 1,130 points in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. But Alcaraz is defending 2,000 points from last year’s title, while Sinner only has 400 points to protect from his quarter-final finish. Even if Alcaraz wins again and Sinner exits early, the Italian will retain his No. 1 status through Wimbledon. Still, the rest of the season could bring pressure, as Sinner has many points to defend after a strong finish to 2024, including big wins in Cincinnati, Shanghai, and the US Open.

For Sinner, Wimbledon is a key chance to extend his lead and gain momentum in the ATP Live Race to Turin, which determines the year-end No. 1. Meanwhile, Alcaraz leads that race by 2,240 points after dominating the clay season, with titles in Rome and Roland Garros, both times beating Sinner. The Spaniard has won eight of their 12 meetings and enters Wimbledon on an 18-match win streak after his Queen’s Club victory.

Outside the Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry, other ranking battles are also in play. Jack Draper, now World No. 4, could gain ground on No. 3 Alexander Zverev, who is 1,850 points ahead. Draper has yet to move past the second round at Wimbledon.

For others chasing a spot at the Nitto ATP Finals, Wimbledon is a big opportunity. Lorenzo Musetti is close behind Draper, and Tommy Paul currently holds the final qualifying position. Novak Djokovic, ranked sixth in the race, stays ahead of Casper Ruud, while Alex de Minaur and Holger Rune are also in contention.

Also Read: Former WTA Star Sheds Light on Why Novak Djokovic Is Very Successful at Wimbledon