Nick Kyrgios Lavishes Praise on Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as He’s Convinced ‘Changing of Guards’ from Big 3 Era Is Happening

Nick Kyrgios will not be playing at Wimbledon but Carlos Alcaraz will be bidding to win his third consecutive trophy there.

Nick Kyrgios Lavishes Praise on Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as He’s Convinced ‘Changing of Guards’ from Big 3 Era Is Happening

Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Nick Kyrgios (Image via X/Olly Tennis, Univers Tennis, Swish Tennis)

The last six Grand Slam titles are won by none other than Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Novak Djokovic was the last player other than them to win a Major and his retirement will finally mark the end of the Big 3 era.

Although it’s hard to judge a struggling Djokovic in Grand Slam events, injuries and the two young rivals have become the reason behind his defeat in these events. Since lifting his 24th Major at the 2023 US Open, Djokovic lost to Sinner twice (in the 2024 Australian Open semi-final and this year’s French Open semifinal); and was denied his historic 25th Major by Alcaraz in last year’s Wimbledon final.

He withdrew from his French Open quarterfinal match last year and from the Australian Open semifinal this year due to injuries. Nick Kyrgios, whom Djokovic defeated in the 2022 Wimbledon final, said during an interview with TalkSPORT that Sinner and Alcaraz are the leaders of their generation.

I look at Alcaraz and Sinner and all the young guys coming up. The changing of the guard is definitely happening, but I think when Federer and Nadal [retired] and Djokovic now is on his last legs, I think, I think maybe one more year. Tennis is going to need a new identity, and I think Alcaraz and Sinner are those two guys.

Sinner has met Djokovic nine times, winning five of those matches. Against Alcaraz, Djokovic holds a 5-3 head-to-head record. These players are in London, gearing up for Wimbledon. Kyrgios, who has played four tournaments this season, won’t be playing the grass-court Major due to injury issues.

Sinner has reached every Grand Slam final, except at Wimbledon where he was a semifinalist in 2023 (lost to Djokovic) and reached the quarterfinals last year (lost to Daniil Medvedev). Wimbledon starts on June 30 and Alcaraz will be aiming to complete the Channel Slam for the second consecutive season.

He will also be entering the third Major of the season as the two-time defending champion. In 2023 and 2024, he beat Djokovic in both the finals at SW19.

Sam Querrey admits he was wrong about Carlos Alcaraz

When Carlos Alcaraz lost to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open quarterfinal this year, he played the Rotterdam Open next, only to end the tournament as the champion (his first title on an indoor hard court). Next, he lost three tournaments on the trot without reaching the final.

Carlos Alcaraz Roland Garros
Carlos Alcaraz (image via Roland Garros)

In Doha, he got knocked out of the quarterfinals. He then failed to defend his Indian Wells title, losing in the semifinals to eventual winner, Jack Draper. Then in Miami, he suffered a shock opening round exit.

Before this season, the five-time Grand Slam champion lost three tournaments on the trot after winning the China Open (beat Jannik Sinner in the final). In the ATP Finals, the 22-year-old failed to book a spot in the semifinals. At that time, Sam Querrey, on the Nothing Major podcast, opined that Alcaraz could drop out of the top five by the end of the year. During the latest episode of the podcast, he said:

I could not have been more dead wrong. He is on another level right now. He got five matches on the grass, he got a pretty easy draw, it does not make a difference for him as he’s going to beat everyone, but he is going to be feeling so good going into Wimbledon.

Alcaraz recently won his fourth grass-court title at the Queen’s Club Championships by beating Jiri Lehecka. He will be chasing his fifth title of the season at SW19 following his victories in Rotterdam, Monte Carlo, Rome, and Paris.

Also read: Former WTA Star Sheds Light on Why Novak Djokovic Is Very Successful at Wimbledon