Former Wimbledon Champion Names Five Youngsters Who Can Challenge Dominance of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

Since the 2024 season, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have won a combined 10 Grand Slam titles. They have been so dominant that no other player won a Major in 2024 and 2025.

It was only this year, at the French Open, that someone ended their streak. It was Alexander Zverev, who overcame Flavio Cobolli in five sets to end his Grand Slam title drought. But he did it in the absence of Alcaraz (withdrew due to injury) and Sinner’s early exit (lost in the second round after suffering cramps).

Zverev also challenged Sinner in the Wimbledon final, taking the first set off him before losing the match in four sets. Alcaraz has not yet featured in a match since the opening round of the Barcelona Open. And now reports have emerged that Sinner is also dealing with a knee niggle.

The Canadian Open is underway, and neither of the top two players is competing. This is the golden opportunity for players like Joao Fonseca and Rafael Jodar to clinch their careers’ first Big Title.

Jodar and Fonseca have been backed by many to challenge the Sincaraz dominance. There are three more players, as per 1996 Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek, who can disrupt the duopoly: Learner Tien, Jakub Mensik, and Ben Shelton.

I don’t know, challenge… that’s maybe a couple years away still, but I like [Joao] Fonseca. I really like Jodar a lot — people notice him, but maybe not enough yet. I saw him at the French Open playing [Alex] Michelsen. I was sitting really close, and I saw the way he plays, the mentality, the relationship with his dad, the energy, also with the crowd.

Richard Krajicek told Tennis365

Shelton has set up a fourth-round clash with Fonseca. They met once before, in the quarterfinals of this year’s Munich Open, which the American ace won before reaching the final and beating compatriot Flavio Cobolli, winning his second title of the season. Shelton has so far played three finals this year, winning all. Apart from the Munich title, he won the Dallas Open and the Stuttgart Open, beating compatriot Taylor Fritz both times.

Jodar is really up there. He’s for sure one of the guys, together with Fonseca and [Jakub] Mensik, of course. And also Learner Tien. And Ben Shelton – he’s a bit older. He has a big serve, leftie, a little bit different game, so if you’re a little bit different as a player, that also helps.

Richard Krajicek added

Jodar will be locking horns with Arthur Fils in the quarterfinals. They are tied at 1-1 in the head-to-head matchups. Fils won their semifinal match of the Barcelona Open, while Jodar won their round of 32 clash in Washington. Both Fils and Jodar have won one title each this year (Jodar in Marrakech and Fils in Barcelona). Before arriving in Montreal, the Spaniard also played the final of the Citi Open, losing the match to home favorite Fritz.

Darren Cahill on why Jannik Sinner will be kicked out of a casino

Jannik Sinner cheats when it comes to playing cards, revealed his coach Darren Cahill. The five-time Grand Slam champion gets caught easily, all thanks to his inability to keep a poker face, due to which the Aussie coach joked that his protege would be kicked out of the Las Vegas casino.

You have to be wary of Jannik. He’s a bit of a magician. Every now and then, a card disappears while we are playing, and you have to keep a close eye on him. Generally, when he smiles, you know something has not gone as planned, that something has been substituted. In a Las Vegas casino, they would throw him out pretty quickly.

Darren Cahill said (via The Cruelest Game: Chasing Greatness in Professional Tennis by Matthew Futterman)

Sinner, however, remains calm and composed while on the court, showing little to no emotions even when things are tense. The Italian was last seen in action in the final of Wimbledon, where his victory over Alexander Zverev earned him his sixth title of the season.

The first five titles that the 24-year-old clinched came in the first five Masters 1000s of the season. He first completed the Sunshine Double, then won every Masters 1000 on clay (Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome). Sinner chose not to aim for the Golden Masters to prioritize his health. Because he is reportedly dealing with a knee issue, there is a chance he will skip the Cincinnati Masters as well.

Also read: Eugenie Bouchard’s Two-Word Reaction to Carlos Alcaraz’s Dramatic Hairstyle Change Goes Viral