Alcaraz vs Sinner: Who will challenge the dominance in world tennis?

Carlos Alcaraz won the 2025 US Open title! The Spanish tennis player, with a big smile and visible emotion, celebrated his victory on the court of Arthur Ashe Stadium in front of a crowd of 24,000 spectators. But before any celebration, Alcaraz showed his respect and friendship by hugging his rival, Jannik Sinner. This match marked the third consecutive encounter in a Grand Slam final between both players, with an exorbitant ticket price and the world number one at stake. Alcaraz achieved a resounding victory with scores of 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 and 6-4, thus obtaining his sixth Grand Slam title. The rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner has defined the men’s tennis scene, establishing a clear division between them and the rest of the competitors.

We are seeing them more than our own family.

Carlos Alcaraz

The dominance of Alcaraz and Sinner is undeniable, and after Alcaraz’s victory at the US Open, the pair has accumulated eight consecutive Grand Slam titles, with an even distribution of four titles for each. Novak Djokovic, after being defeated by Alcaraz in the semi-finals, acknowledged the difficulty of overcoming these two players in the Grand Slam tournaments.

We know they are the two best players in the world.

Novak Djokovic

The 2025 US Open final marked the first season since 2002 without members of the “Big Three” (Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal) in a Grand Slam final, solidifying the beginning of a new era in tennis. The question that arises now is: Will anyone else be able to challenge Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominance in the near future?

In 2023, Alcaraz already had two Grand Slam titles and Sinner had reached his first semifinal. Although their potential was evident, they were not considered undisputed favorites in every tournament. Djokovic, on the other hand, dominated the circuit, but Sinner demonstrated his determination and won the Australian Open in 2024, inaugurating the “Sincaraz” era. In the last eight Grand Slams, both players have faced four different opponents in the finals: Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev, and Alexander Zverev (twice). Zverev, after losing to Sinner at the Australian Open, expressed his difficulty in imagining winning a title. Fritz, current world number 4, acknowledged the constant improvement of Alcaraz and Sinner, highlighting that they have become dominant players.

I think they motivate the rest of the players to improve.

Taylor Fritz

Other players like Jack Draper, Jakub Menšík, Casper Ruud, and Ben Shelton have shown flashes of potential. Shelton, 22 years old, has won three titles and reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam, reaching the number 6 ranking.

I think those two players are the ones to beat.

Mary Joe FernandezThe Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca is also considered a future contender. John Isner believes Fonseca has a good chance to challenge Alcaraz and Sinner. At the US Open, Alcaraz and Sinner showed an impressive performance, winning most of their service games. Alcaraz overcame his opponents with ease. Sunday’s final was the second time in the Open Era that two men shared all the Grand Slam titles in two consecutive seasons, a feat only Federer and Nadal had achieved in 2006 and 2007. In addition, they were the first pair in the Open Era to play in three consecutive Grand Slam finals in the same year. Although tennis is unpredictable, and although Medvedev hasn’t had the same success this year, Alcaraz and Sinner seem to be the favorites for the future.

I think Sinner and Alcaraz will dominate in the next three or four years.

Patrick McEnroe