Andy Roddick Thinks ‘This’ Can Stop Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner from Dominating at 2026 Australian Open

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have finished the season as the World No.1 and World No.2 players, respectively.

Andy Roddick Thinks ‘This’ Can Stop Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner from Dominating at 2026 Australian Open

Andy Roddick, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/#AusOpen, Jannik Sinner HQ)

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Jannik Sinner will be bidding for a three-peat at the Australian Open next year, while Carlos Alcaraz will be aiming for the Career Grand Slam. They have been dominating on the tour since the 2024 season, but in Melbourne, one thing can stop their dominance, believes former player Andy Roddick.

Sinner and Alcaraz recently clashed for the last time on the tour this season. In the ATP Finals, the home favorite clinched a straight-set win to extend his winning streak on indoor hard court to 31-0 and improve his head-to-head record over the Spaniard to 6-10.

Sinner featured in every Major final this season, while Alcaraz, except for the Australian Open, played the finals of the remaining three Grand Slam tournaments. In Melbourne, he suffered a four-set defeat at the hands of 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals. Alcaraz, in fact, has never progressed beyond the last eight in the Major Down Under.

En route to claiming a straight-set win over Alexander Zverev in the final, Sinner battled illness during his fourth-round match against Holger Rune and even took a controversial 11-minute medical timeout. Roddick believes the conditions at the Australian Open can affect the young Grand Slam champions.

If you get on the wrong side of that heat in Australia, I think Sinner has shown that, if anything, the heat can get to him a touch, right? Whether it’s Cincy, whether it’s Shanghai, and cramps. We are absolutely nitpicking Carlos, also, with not knowing how to navigate the three-out-of-five. He went through full-body cramps at the French Open. I think the single biggest factor is going to be conditions.

Andy Roddick said on his Served podcast

Sinner dealt with cramps during the Shanghai Masters due to the scorching heat and humidity. He was bidding to defend his title, but cramps forced him to hand walkover to Tallon Griekspoor in the third round.

Carlos Alcaraz reminds Chris Eubanks of the Big 4

During the Served podcast, Andy Roddick said Carlos Alcaraz reminds him of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray. Chris Eubanks, who was also a part of the podcast, did not agree as he rather thinks the World No.1 is the marriage of Federer, Nadal, Murray, and Novak Djokovic.

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz 4K)

The second serve return, we see Carlos stepping up close to the baseline, stinging it on the backhand side, which reminds me of Murray. When he’s hitting the forehand, usually, I would say it’s a bit more like Rafa, but I think his running forehand, and when he’s looking to take time away, his skills at the net resemble Roger, undoubtedly. And of course, Novak, his defensive skills out of the corners, being able to inject pace on the backhand, scrap and claw.

Chris Eubanks said

Alcaraz was next scheduled to play the Davis Cup, but he decided to withdraw from it because of a hamstring injury he suffered in the first set of the title clash of the ATP Finals against Jannik Sinner. The six-time Grand Slam champion has ended the season with eight titles from 11 finals. Spain will meet the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals on November 20.

The trophies include five Big Titles, including the French Open and the US Open he grabbed by defeating Sinner. The 24-year-old took home six titles from 10 finals, including the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

He is not representing two-time defending champion Italy for the Davis Cup as he wants an extra week off. Sinner started the ATP Finals as a World No.1, and despite the victory, he ended the season as a No.2 player.

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