Gael Monfils and Jeremy Chardy are the primary to hail Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as “unbelievable” gamers however each agree that it’s nonetheless very early to match these two to Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer or suppose that they already higher than the Large Three.
This 12 months, the 23-year-old Italian and the 21-year-old Spaniard completely dominated the most important tournaments, splitting 4 Grand Slams and likewise mixed for 5 Masters wins. Additionally, it needs to be famous that Sinner received the ATP Finals – reached the world No. 1 place for the primary time in his profession – and posted a shocking 73-6 document.
Naturally, their dominance in 2024 led to some large takes and a few even already now evaluating them to the three biggest gamers in tennis historical past.
In October, Eurosport professional and former seven-time Grand Slam winner Mats Wilander said that “nobody has ever performed higher tennis” than Sinner and Alcaraz when at their greatest degree.
Presently, the Italian has two Slams in his assortment whereas the Spaniard sits at 4.
Monfils, who has been on the Tour since 2004 and plenty of occasions skilled on how his personal pores and skin the way it felt to play a Large Three group member, suggests there must go a minimum of 5 to 10 extra years simply to see if there is sufficient to evaluate the present dominant forces to the likes of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer.
“After all, Jannik had an unbelievable 12 months and Carlos as nicely, however we have to give it to Jannik as a result of his document was simply insane. It’s been an unbelievable 12 months for him and on the numbers, he needs to be one of the best participant this 12 months. It’s robust to match Jannik and Carlos with the Large Three,” Monfils advised Tennis365.
“These guys are nonetheless younger, so let’s wait and see. Possibly in 5 years, ten years. Then comparisons shall be simpler. Now Carlos is 21, so it’s actually robust to match him to somebody like Novak, who’s 37 and has received so many Slams. What we will say is these two guys are doing it in a method that may give them an opportunity to match the legends in our sport.”
Chardy: Sinner and Alcaraz are wonderful, however the Large Three have unbelievable information
Presently, Djokovic owns the all-time Slam document with 24 titles whereas Nadal completed with 22 and Federer received 20 throughout his profession. For the 23-year-old and the 21-year-old to even come shut or break these information, they would wish to utterly dominate tennis for a minimum of one other decade.
Chardy, a former world No. 25 who retired final 12 months, applauded Sinner and Alcaraz’s early success but additionally instructed that it’s foolish to suppose that they’re already higher than the Large Three.
“Sinner and Alcaraz have been wonderful and tennis is fortunate to have them, however to say they’re higher than Roger, Rafa and Novak already… come on. I performed these guys so many occasions in my profession they usually had been unbelievable gamers with unbelievable information,” Chardy stated.
“In the mean time, Sinner and Alcaraz have had a superb begin to their careers, however you can not evaluate them to Roger, Rafa and Novak but, in fact not. I don’t like to match eras, perhaps in ten years time we will take a look at what Jannik and Carlos have carried out and say it’s comparable to those three guys, however not but.”
What Nadal stated about the identical matter?
The rivalries that the Large Three shared between them went down did not solely go down as one of many biggest in tennis however in all sports activities historical past.
Forward of the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Nadal spoke with DAZN and he was requested about some evaluating Sinner and Alcaraz to the Large Three. Answering the query, the Spanish tennis icon stated it was too early for any comparisons to be made and urged the general public to let these two “create their very own story.”
“We have to wait, however in fact. This 12 months already two grand slams for every of them. No 1 and quantity 2 on the planet. They’re creating their very own story. I feel it’s not a second to match eras. As a result of Novak continues to be there. Roger and myself left.. however that’s a part of the sports activities profession of everybody. Now it’s a brand new technology coming. We have to allow them to create their very own rivalries and their very own story. They don’t want the comparisons with us. Let’s see on the finish of their careers, then would be the second to compete what they did and what we did,” Nadal stated on DAZN in October.
