For Mark Philippoussis, the magic of tennis never truly fades; it only changes hands. The Australian came agonisingly close to winning a Grand Slam title during his career but never quite managed to cross the final hurdle. Though he reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals, but was beaten by Roger Federer at the All England Club and Pat Rafter at Flushing Meadows. After retiring in 2008, Philippoussis became a keen observer of the sport he once dominated. For years, he enjoyed watching legends like Federer and Rafael Nadal. When both retired, he feared tennis had lost its magic. Yet to his delight, a new spark has arrived — and the credit, he says, goes to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Recently, in an interview shared by We Love Tennis and recorded on the Australian Open podcast, Philippoussis spoke about how the new generation has rekindled his excitement for the sport. “Exactly. There’s Sinner and Alcaraz, and every time these two clash, I feel like they’re amazing ambassadors for the sport,” he said. His admiration comes as no surprise; their rivalry has already defined the modern era. The battle between Alcaraz and Sinner, often nicknamed Sincaraz by fans, has captivated audiences since the early 2020s.

Philippoussis added, “We are lucky to have them, as I think we got a little worried when Rafa and Federer (retired) and Djokovic, hopefully we have got him for another year, but to have two figures like that in incredible roles for the game of tennis is amazing. I enjoy watching the games. I sat and watched Davis Cup over the weekend and unfortunately, it wasn’t the result we wanted but I was glued to my TV watching that, so I definitely do enjoy it, especially if it’s certain players going at it.”

Since 2021, the two have had 15 encounters, and Alcaraz is 10-5, 4-2 at majors and 5-2 in finals. Between them, they are the winners of the past eight Grand Slam championships, with Sinner winning four and Carlos Alcaraz winning six overall. Because both of them have attained the number-one position on the world list, they have been called The New Two, a modern-day tribute to the legendary Big Three in tennis.

His remarks came just as Jannik Sinner announced that he will skip the 2025 Davis Cup Finals in Bologna to prepare for the next season, while Carlos Alcaraz confirmed he will represent Spain at the event. Despite the Davis Cup drama, one thing is clear: with Sinner and Alcaraz leading the charge, tennis’s future is in extraordinary hands. But it’s not just men’s tennis that interests him!

Mark Philippoussis shares why women’s tennis has captured his attention like never before

For a man once known for his thunderous serves on court, Mark Philippoussis now seems to find his greatest joy from the sidelines. But it isn’t just the men’s game that keeps him hooked. When asked if he enjoys watching women’s tennis, his answer came without hesitation: yes, and perhaps even more than the men’s.

“The women I have been really enjoying. I have been watching just as much women’s as the men’s and I feel like the tennis has just been incredible from the women, they have taken it to another level,” he shared, sounding every bit the fan he once inspired.

He was unable to stop lauding the strength that characterizes today’s women’s circuit.“The power these players have, like Sabalenka. She has been dominating and I think her average hitting speed is higher than men’s at the US Open, which is incredible…So I have just been enjoying watching both. There have been some good matches lately and it’s been great to watch.”

Fast, bold, and intensely entertaining, it reflects the progress made in women’s tennis. Philippoussis feels that tennis is at its peak as the women prepare for the WTA Finals and the men get ready for Paris and Turin.