Former ATP Player Gives Verdict on Who Will Challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner Next Year

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz finished World No.1 in the last two years.

Former ATP Player Gives Verdict on Who Will Challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner Next Year

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

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For the past few months, there have been arguments on which player will challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner on tour. The duo have been the best players in the men’s circuit and have dominated the men’s tennis. However, former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis has revealed that Joao Fonseca will be the player to challenge them.

Recently, Rafael Nadal criticized the men’s circuit for not being able to challenge Alcaraz and Sinner, as he noted that it wasn’t that way during his time as a professional player. For several decades, there have often been four or three top players competing for Grand Slam titles every season.

But in the past two years, only Sinner and Alcaraz have won Grand Slam titles on the court. In fact, the only player who looks to be trying to push the duo in major tournaments has been Novak Djokovic, who is 38. Other younger players have not been able to replicate the same level of desire for major crowns the way Alcaraz and Sinner have shown.

Alcaraz has won six Grand Slams, having defeated Sinner in four sets in the final major tournament of the 2025 season in New York. On the other hand, Sinner has claimed four major titles in his career, with his most recent coming at the Wimbledon Championship in July, where he overcame the Spaniard in four sets in the final.

In an interview with Tennis365, Marcos Baghdatis was asked who he thinks will likely challenge Sinner and Alcaraz. The former ATP player admitted that Fonseca is the likeliest star that will be able to reach the level of the two top stars. He noted that Alexander Zverev cannot be written off as he can still put up a strong challenge:

Maybe Fonseca, I would say. That’s one of them who could, and I think will. But other than Fonseca, especially in a Grand Slam in a five-setter, I don’t see [who can stop Alcaraz and Sinner]… Yeah, maybe [Alexander] Zverev can win here and there, one or two. But it’s gonna be tough.

Fonseca enjoyed his breakthrough season in 2025, winning his maiden tour-level title at the Argentina Open. The Brazilian teenager first became prominent on tour after beating Andrey Rublev in the opening round of the Australian Open. He then went on to reach the third round of the French Open and Wimbledon. His second ATP title came at the Swiss Indoor tournament, where he defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the final.

Marcos Baghdatis chooses between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner who will win more Grand Slams

With Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz dominating the men’s tour, there’s a growing question about which of them will win the highest number of Grand Slams. Sinner currently has four Slams in his career, with all of them coming in the past two years. Meanwhile, Alcaraz has won six major crowns in the past four years.

Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (4)
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Jannik Sinner HQ)

Should Alcaraz win the Australian Open in January, he will become the youngest player to complete a Career Grand Slam. During the aforementioned interview, Marcos Baghdatis was asked whether he thinks Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner will finish with more majors before retiring from the sport:

Very tough question. I would go with Alcaraz because he has more variety to his game, I can say. But he’s mentally maybe less consistent than Sinner, so it can backfire. But yeah, I would go with Alcaraz.

Alcaraz and Sinner are set to face each other in an exhibition match in Seoul, South Korea ahead of the Australian Open. The match will be played eight days before the first Grand Slam of the season kicks off in Melbourne. Should they meet each other in the final of the Australian Open, it will be their fourth consecutive major tournament final clash.

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