John Isner Gives His Take on Who Between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner Will Complete Career Grand Slam First

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz played the finals of the last three Grand Slam events this year.

John Isner Gives His Take on Who Between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner Will Complete Career Grand Slam First

John Isner, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (Image via US Open, X/Jannik Sinner HQ)

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Who has the better shot at completing the Career Grand Slam first between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz? John Isner has backed the latter to do it first.

Sinner lifted both the hardcourt Majors, the Australian Open and the US Open last year, and denied the Spaniard a three-peat at Wimbledon this year. The Italian came close to winning the French Open but couldn’t cross the final hurdle in the form of Alcaraz, who defended his crown.

Alcaraz has won two titles each at the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, but has never reached the semifinals of the Australian Open. He is a two-time quarterfinalist in the Major Down Under, also reaching the stage this year, but ended up losing the match in four sets to Novak Djokovic.

Clay is Sinner’s least favorite surface, and although he produced his best performance on the surface in the French Open final, winning the title, compared to Alcaraz clinching his first Australian Open trophy seems difficult. Also, because the Australian Open is the next Major, Isner has backed Alcaraz to win it to become the fifth man in the Open Era to accomplish the Career Grand Slam.

I’m going to say Alcaraz, just because he has the first shot at it…winning the Australian Open. I think just by virtue of that being the next Major… It’s a weird one that he hasn’t done that well at that tournament. [Alexander] Zverev has gotten him, Djokovic has gotten him there in recent years, so he should be fine. It is a weird one that he hasn’t done it with that level that we saw at the US Open. If he brings that, no one’s beating him, as we know.

Alcaraz and Sinner have claimed the last eight Majors and have also split the four Majors this season. In Grand Slam finals, Sinner trails 1-2 against Alcaraz, winning at Wimbledon and losing the French Open and the US Open.

Pedro Martinez on who can challenge Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are dominating so much on the tour that since Novak Djokovic’s historic 24th Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open, no one but they has won the Majors. Also, this year, other than them, only Alexander Zverev reached a Grand Slam final (Australian Open).

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

Last year, Sinner clinched eight official titles, while this year, Alcaraz has so far added seven to his trophy cabinet. Often, during discussions about these two players, one question is asked. Who is the player who can challenge them? Although Alcaraz’s compatriot, Pedro Martinez, backed Jack Draper to do some damage, at present, he doesn’t see anyone to threaten the World No.1 and World No.2. Martinez said during a press conference:

Draper was playing well, but not yet at the level of Sinner and Alcaraz, and then he got injured at Wimbledon. He’s struggling a bit, with physical ups and downs. We’ll see if any young players can reach that level in the next few years. But right now, I see a battle between the two of them and then a battle between everyone else.

Martinez recently played the Challenger Genoa, where he suffered a first-round exit. It was his first tournament since his first-round defeat at the US Open.

Alcaraz and Sinner will not be in the same draw before the Shanghai Masters, as the former will be heading to Tokyo for the Japan Open, while the latter’s destination is Beijing for the China Open. The four-time Grand Slam champion lost to Alcaraz in Beijing last year but clinched the Shanghai Masters by defeating Djokovic.

Also read: Holger Rune Explains Shift in Mindset for the Rest of the Season Following Davis Cup win