Carlos Alcaraz Not 'A Machine Like Jannik Sinner' Argues Former US Open Champion
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Andy Roddick has compared and contrasted Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. The former world No. 1 does not think Alcaraz is a machine in the same way Sinner is.
Although there are several excellent ATP players, Sinner and Alcaraz were the two outstanding men in 2024. Alexander Zverev finished the season at world No. 2, but the German admits the young pair are ahead of him because of what they achieved last year.
Sinner had the best season. He won maiden Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open and US Open, obtained three Masters 1000 titles, secured a first ATP Finals crown, and helped Italy to win back-to-back Davis Cup titles.
The 23-year-old also became the fastest man to guarantee the year-end No. 1 ranking since Novak Djokovic in 2015. Last season was the first year Djokovic failed to win a Grand Slam since 2017.
Alcaraz claimed the French Open and Wimbledon in 2024. His Grand Slam tally now stands at four despite being just 21 years old. The Australian Open is the only major title he has yet to secure, which should give him extra motivation for next week's tournament in Melbourne.
Sinner and Alcaraz also continued what is turning into an epic rivalry. The Italian lost in the deciding set to his rival in the semifinals of the Indian Wells Open and French Open before being outlasted in a three-hour epic in the final of the China Open.
Alcaraz's winning streak against Sinner ended in the final of the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia, although it did not count in their official head-to-head because it was not an ATP tournament or one of the four Grand Slams.
Roddick has made several comments about both men on episodes of his podcast. He recently said Alcaraz's 2024 season felt weird because he won two Grand Slams, but it still felt like the Spaniard could have improved.
The 2003 US Open champion has also remarked on Sinner's much-publicized doping case. That included admitting he would not have blinked had the current world No. 1 been banned for six months over the saga.
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Speaking on another episode of his podcast Served With Andy Roddick, he mentioned that Sinner is strongest on hard courts, while Alcaraz dominated last season on clay and grass. However, Roddick does not think Alcaraz is a machine like his rival.
"It’s become pretty clear cut, the battle lines, where Sinner is on hard, and anything that is not hard is kind of Alcaraz territory right now, and they are the best in their given spaces."
"He (Alcaraz) is a joy to watch. Expectations couldn’t be more outsized. He is one of the biggest global superstars, not just in tennis, but in anything. Everyone wants to be around him."
"Three in the world. I don’t know. Just be on court more often. Is that it? He improved his serve. He adjusted his motion a little bit. He kind of went up and down in a V, now it’s rounded at the bottom a bit more."
"The backhand got better. He’s using the slice more often. It’s just that he needs the time and the space, it seems, mentally. I don’t think he’s a machine like Sinner."
