“Jannik Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz will be the queen couple in the coming years, retracing what Federer-Nadal has done” – Adriano Panatta

According to former French Open champion Adriano Panatta, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are expected to become the “dynamic duo”in the upcoming years, much like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

After his victory at the Miami Open this past Sunday, Sinner has taken over Alcaraz’s spot as the No. 2 player on the ATP Tour. Interestingly, the two players have had a closely contested rivalry, with each winning four matches against the other since 2021.

Alcaraz emerged victorious in their most recent encounter, defeating Sinner in straight sets during the semifinals of the Indian Wells Masters last month. With a combined tally of three Grand Slams, both players have caught the attention of Adriano Panatta, who believes that their rivalry has the potential to reach the same level as the iconic one between Federer and Nadal.

Despite Federer’s retirement from tennis, he has won 20 Grand Slam titles, while Nadal, who has won 22 titles, continues to compete on the tour despite facing injuries.

“For me, Alcaraz will be one of the protagonists of 2024. Nole (Djokovic) less, in my opinion. In the long run, Carlos will emerge. Sinner-Alcaraz will be the queen couple of the circuit in the coming years, retracing what Federer-Nadal has done in the past years,”Panatta told Ubitennis.

Rising Stars Sinner and Alcaraz to Kick Off Clay Season at Monte-Carlo Masters

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are set to compete at the Monte-Carlo Masters, marking the start of the clay court season. The tournament is scheduled to take place from April 6 to 14.

Despite varying levels of success, both Sinner and Alcaraz have had a mixed performance at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament. In 2021, Sinner was defeated by Novak Djokovic in the third round. In the following two years, he experienced losses in the quarterfinals to Alexander Zverev and in the semifinals to Holger Rune.

Alcaraz is set to make his second appearance at the Monte-Carlo Masters in his career. He previously competed in the tournament in 2022, where he suffered a three-set defeat to Sebastian Korda in the second round. However, he was unable to participate in the 2023 edition due to physical discomfort.

Surprisingly, the 2024 clay court season would see a fierce competition for the number one spot in the rankings between Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner. Despite being only 22 years old, Sinner’s victory in Miami not only propelled him to the second spot but also brought him within 1000 points of the top spot, making it a close race between the three players.