ATP Star Identifies What Makes Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner Difficult to Play Against

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have won the last nine Grand Slams on tour.

ATP Star Identifies What Makes Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner Difficult to Play Against

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Jannik Sinner HQ)

In Short
  • Sebastian Baez highlights the contrasting playing styles of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
  • Alcaraz is known for his variety of shots and unpredictable gameplay, while Sinner relies on tactical intensity and consistency.
  • Both players are set to compete as top seeds at the ATP 500 tournament in Doha starting February 16.

ATP Star Sebastian Baez has explained why Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are completely different players on the court. The Argentine star is currently in Brazil for the ATP 500 tournament in Rio, while Alcaraz and Sinner are yet to make a return to tour since the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Alcaraz and Sinner have established themselves as the two top players in men’s tennis for the past two years. The duo have secured the last nine Grand Slams between them since the start of the 2024 season. The pair met in six tour-level finals last year, including three consecutive Grand Slam finals.

Alcaraz has been compared to his idol, Rafael Nadal, on the court, with some suggesting he has the physical qualities of the tennis legend. However, the Spaniard is known to play with a different style compared to Nadal, who makes fewer mistakes on the court but often relies on his precision in between rallies.

But Alcaraz often hits a variety of shots during rallies, which makes it difficult for opponents to read his game. Meanwhile, Sinner is a more tactical, astute player, less risky on the court, and more pragmatic. He relies more on his serve and forehand shots than on other technical aspects of his game.

In an interview with Argentine outlet La Nacion, Baez broke down the difference in Alcaraz and Sinner’s games. The World No.34 noted that Alcaraz has more skills on the court than Sinner, which gives him a different kind of mobility and output, while Sinner often relies on his intensity in a match:

They’re relatively tall and lanky with uncommon mobility, and then there’s the variety of shots they have. Alcaraz is constantly hitting shots that make you think, ‘Come on, man!’ He can hit a slice, a lob, a rocket, a drop shot, another lob, another rocket. You can hit in every direction and always have a response. With Sinner, you feel like he’s suffocating you. You give him a short pass and he’ll sink you. But then he doesn’t miss a ball, he doesn’t miss returns, he’s always there, intense, defending, so they create different situations.

Baez has never beaten Alcaraz or Sinner in a competitive match. The Argentine holds a 0-3 record against Sinner and a 0-2 record against Alcaraz. He only won one set against Sinner, and that came at the 2023 Rolex Shanghai Masters. He last faced Alcaraz at the Tokyo Open in September, where the Spaniard defeated him in straight sets despite twisting his ankle.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner set to compete at the ATP 500 tournament in Qatar

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are expected to be back on the court at the ATP 500 tournament in Doha. Both players will take the top two seeds at the tournament, which will kick off on February 16. Alcaraz has been spotted on several occasions training alongside his coach, Samuel Lopez, ahead of the event.

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (5)
Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Jannik Sinner HQ)

However, Sinner has not been seen practicing on the court, but he has revealed that he will not be making any appearance at the ongoing Winter Olympics in Italy, as he’s working hard in training. Alcaraz and Sinner will be seeking to win the Qatar Open title for the first time in their careers.

Alcaraz played in the tournament last year but only reached the quarter-finals before losing to Jiri Lehecka in three sets. But this year, he will be entering the tournament at the back of an impressive Australian Open title victory. He will be seeking to continue his unbeaten run at the tournament.

But Sinner, who crashed out in the semi-finals of the Australian Open after losing to Novak Djokovic in five sets, will be seeking redemption in Doha. The Italian star has a fantastic record on hard courts and will hope to use that as a motivation when he enters the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Qatar.

Also Read: Jim Courier Thinks Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz Would’ve Challenged Big 4 as They ‘Don’t Have Weaknesses’