Ever wondered how the locker room atmosphere of tennis would be with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in it? Their larger-than-life reputation precedes their personality. A look back in time, when Marat Safin and Lleyton Hewitt dismantled Pete Sampras in the 2000 and 2001 US Open finals, it felt like a new dynasty had arrived: one that might dominate the sport for a decade. Then Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic stormed onto the scene, rewriting history.

Safin and Hewitt would win just one more Grand Slam each, while the Big 3 amassed 66 between them, with Djokovic still chasing his 25th. Yet the era is shifting: Roger and Rafa have retired, and Novak recently fell to two modern titans, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner: two colossal forces shaking the tennis world. And as the season nears its end, American prodigy Alex Michelsen, who has witnessed their rise firsthand, shares his candid views on the juggernauts defining the modern era.

In a recent episode of the Served podcast, American prodigy Alex Michelsen offered an unfiltered look into the modern era of tennis, sharing his awe for the game’s new giants. Praising Carlos Alcaraz’s style, Michelsen didn’t hold back about the gulf between the young Spaniard and the Italian and the rest of the tour. 

“When someone whenever says ‘Oh yeah, I think I can win the US Open,’ everyone just bursts out laughing. I mean, it’s just like there’s nothing that we poor guys can do against those guys as of right now. I mean, it’s just I don’t think anyone genuinely believes it anymore. Except maybe Novak, but I mean he’s not getting any younger. So I mean, but we’ll see,” he said, capturing the sheer dominance Alcaraz and Sinner wield over his peers.

Michelsen also reflected on his Laver Cup experience, recalling Alcaraz’s thrilling match against Taylor Fritz. “I watched a little bit of the Fritz versus Carlos match, and Fritz was just redlining what I was watching. He was playing sick. I didn’t really watch too much of the second set,” Michelsen said, emphasizing the intensity of the clash.

The following day, watching Alcaraz dismantle Francisco Cerundolo, Michelsen’s admiration deepened. “Carlos plays the next day, and the guy was just hitting the absolute crap out of the ball, and just as he does, he makes everything look easy, like he’s so fast. When I was playing him in doubles a couple times, like I thought like for sure put away ball, I already have like going like this, fist, and he’s getting there. I’m like, dude, this guy is a joke,” he revealed, capturing the effortless power and lightning speed that sets Alcaraz apart.

When asked about the most intimidating player on tour later on the podcast, Michelsen turned his attention to Italian star Jannik Sinner. “I think I would say Sinner. I mean, the guy is just like he’s not like he’s not like mean or anything. He’s not like trying to be intimidating. He just is,” he explained, highlighting a quiet, imposing aura that commands respect without theatrics.

Michelsen’s reflections underline how the tennis landscape has shifted over the past decade. With Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic having dominated the last 20 years, the mantle has now passed onto younger players like Alcaraz and Sinner, who combine ferocious skill with unrelenting consistency, leaving the rest of the tour scrambling to keep pace.

And as the tour nears its conclusion and players gear up for the final ATP Finals, one question lingers: Does the relentless grind take a toll on them? Top seed Carlos Alcaraz has long voiced his concerns, for which he now faces criticism.

Carlos Alcaraz criticized for tennis schedule comments while opting for exhibitions

After defeating Taylor Fritz in a commanding final to claim his eighth title of the year at the Korea Open, Carlos Alcaraz faced questions about the grueling ATP calendar, which mandates top players to compete in numerous compulsory events. Alcaraz, who opted out of the Shanghai Masters due to injury, did not mince words. “I agree with Iga,” he said, before adding, “I think that the schedule is really tight. They have to do something with the schedule. I think there are too many mandatory tournaments, too many in a row.” His candid remarks highlighted growing concerns among elite players about the physical and mental toll of back-to-back competitions.

However, not everyone welcomed his perspective. Serena Williams’ former coach, Rennae Stubbs, host of The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, took a pointed swipe at Alcaraz, seeing inconsistency in his approach.

Stubbs highlighted what she viewed as a contradiction in Alcaraz’s actions. On one hand, he advocates for a lighter schedule on the ATP Tour, yet on the other, he has committed to several exhibition matches in December.

“I find it funny because, even though I love Carlos, I recently noticed that he had registered for all the exhibitions scheduled at the end of the season. It’s hard to take them seriously when they say that the calendar must be lightened so that they can go and play exhibitions in the suburbs of Miami. Again, it’s not really a criticism; it’s just a little inconsistent. Yes, it’s just that it makes me laugh,” Stubbs explained.

Her comments underline the tension between valid grievances about player welfare and the optics of participating in optional events that generate revenue and fan engagement.

As the season nears its conclusion, players are grinding toward the ATP Finals, with Alcaraz still asserting dominance over much of the tour.

Yet the question looms over the coming year: who can challenge the Spanish and Italian phenoms and disrupt the duopoly that continues to define men’s tennis?