Rafael Nadal Disappointed About the Lack of Opposition Faced By Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have met in the last three Grand Slam finals.

Rafael Nadal Disappointed About the Lack of Opposition Faced By Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

Rafael Nadal (inset), Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz (via NYTimes)

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For the past two seasons, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have dominated the men’s circuit without any opposition. The player who has come closest to posing a threat is Novak Djokovic, but his age has always been his greatest disappointment. Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has revealed that he’s disappointed no other player has opposed the duo.

In the Open Era, only five players have managed to win more than 10 Grand Slams, with the record currently held by Novak Djokovic, who has 24 major titles to his name. Currently, Sinner and Alcaraz have won four and six, respectively.

They have been dubbed to replace the rivalry between Nadal and Roger Federer on tour. However, the difference between Nadal and Federer’s rivalry is that they had competitors like Djokovic, Andy Murray, Juan Martin Del Potro, and Stan Wawrinka. Alcaraz and Sinner have shared the last eight Grand Slams between each other.

Each time Alcaraz or Sinner plays in any tournament, they are likely to win it or meet in the final. In fact, in the past three Grand Slam finals Alcaraz and Sinner have faced each other, with the former winning two and losing one.

Alcaraz and Sinner met in six tour-level finals this season. During an interview with El Larguero, Nadal was asked about Sinner and Alcaraz’s rivalry on tour. The former World No.1 revealed that he’s more concerned about someone pushing them to become the better version of themselves on the court:

I think Sinner and Alcaraz need someone to push them. Fonseca? I believe he is still young and not in a position to think about that. They need someone to push them a bit because they have stood out from all the others, and in any version, they can beat anyone until they meet each other. Those of us watching from the outside have the feeling that even if they play badly, they will keep winning and reaching all the finals.

In the last few weeks, there have been debates on which player will be able to stop Alcaraz and Sinner’s domination. Taylor Fritz, Joao Fonseca, Ben Shelton, and Jack Draper have been named as likely opposition to the two top stars.

Rafael Nadal believes Carlos Alcaraz can beat his Grand Slam record

Carlos Alcaraz has won six major titles and should he win the Australian Open next year, he will become the youngest player to complete a Career Grand Slam. Nonetheless, there’s a growing expectation that Alcaraz can win more than 20 Grand Slams.

Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz
Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via The Press Democrat, X/Carlos Alcaraz)

During the aforementioned interview, Rafael Nadal was asked if Alcaraz can reach his Grand Slam record (22). The 39-year-old revealed that the Spaniard can replicate his achievements on the court only if he avoids injuries and doesn’t lose his confidence on the court:

I see him spectacular, how are we going to see him? I have always seen him very talented, with the potential to make history in our sport. 22 Grand Slams? Why not? Six are already a lot, and he has a spectacular trajectory. The most important thing is to avoid injuries. If you don’t have injuries, I believe you also don’t lose confidence in your body, and that feeds back to you.

Alcaraz ended the 2025 season with eight tour-level titles, including two Slams. Despite the hectic schedule, he is set to feature in three exhibition tournaments this pre-season. Two in the United States of America and one in Seoul, South Korea against his arch-rival Jannik Sinner.

Also Read: Serena Williams Recalls How Criticism Due to ‘Large’ Physique Affected Her Mentally: “I Had Big B***s, I Had Big B**t”