Is there a rivalry in the making that could rival the iconic status of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal? With a lot of new faces rising on the competitive circuit, such as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, are bringing the next great tennis rivalry into the scenes. Recently, the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s coach Carlos Mayo issued a blunt take on the Alcaraz-Sinner rising rivalry.

In a recent interview with Eurosport, the former Spanish tennis player, shared his take on the budding rivalry, and brought a mirror from the past. He stated, “It is very difficult to predict what will happen in the next 10 years, it is clear that right now it is a battle that exists between two great players. Federer and Nadal was a war that lasted 20 years and that were always there.” 

Further, he also talked about how it’s something that will be known over the years, but particularly in the next three years, as there are a lot of things that both of them will deal with. In addition, Moya also emphasized the fact that while both the rising tennis stars and patients will have a great future, it will be interesting to see what comes next.

Along with that, he detailed, “If you ask me about the next three years, it is clear that that will be the great battle, but within 10 many things can happen, that new players appear or that they suffer injuries, many factors you can interrupt that forecast. Both are great champions, I have no doubt that they will win many Grand Slams in the future.”

Subsequently, Sinner and Alcaraz haven’t yet faced off in a Grand Slam final, which usually results in the biggest stakes and cemented rivalry. They lack the striking contrast in playing styles that frequently characterize fierce confrontations, unlike legendary duos like Federer and Nadal.

They also don’t have any personal grudges against one another. Alcaraz and Sinner are true friends off the court, unlike opponents who ultimately warm up, like Federer and Nadal. On the other hand, they exhibit a distinct dynamic in the world of tennis rivals when they compete, maintaining a friendly yet fiercely competitive manner.

However, even the two-time Grand Slam champion believes that the Italian tennis player will give him a tough rivalry on the court. Last year after winning Wimbledon and defeating Novak Djokovic, the young Spaniard highlighted how his biggest rival is not the Serb, but it’s Sinner.

Carlos Alcaraz lists Jannik Sinner as his biggest rival 

The 21-year-old tennis player made it clear in an interview following his Wimbledon triumph that he does not regard Djokovic as a rival because he already has someone else in mind. He stated, “I’m talking about Jannik Sinner. I’m not afraid to say it. He and I have already had great battles on all surfaces and in various tournaments, and I believe we will fight together for major titles in the future as well.”

Apart from that, when Alcaraz defeated the Italian tennis player in the Indian Wells semi-final, he opened up about how going up against him is not an easy task. He added, “Every time that I’m going to face Jannik I’m going to get nervous. That’s for sure because I know that I have to play 100 per cent if I want to beat him.” The Indian Wells face-off was their eighth battle against each other, as they had already started to shape the rivalry in a strong way.