Carlos Alcaraz heads into the Australian Open as the world No. 1 and top seed, with Jannik Sinner right behind him as the second seed, setting the stage for another exciting chapter in their fast-growing rivalry. The buzz is even bigger this year with Roger Federer set to be the star guest at the tournament’s first-ever opening ceremony on Sunday.

Six years after his final competitive appearance at Melbourne Park, where he captured six of his 20 Grand Slam titles, Federer returned to the iconic grounds on Thursday and shared his thoughts on the new generation leading the post-Big Three era.

Three years into retirement, Federer admitted he’s genuinely happy taking in the action as a fan. Still, there was one recent Sinner match that briefly pulled him back into a player’s mindset.

It happened at Wimbledon last year, during Grigor Dimitrov’s fourth-round clash with the Italian, a match that was suddenly cut short by injury.

Dimitrov was clearly in control. He was up 6-3, 7-5, 2-2 when a sudden pectoral injury forced him to stop playing, sidelining him for months. The match stood out to Federer because Dimitrov’s style felt familiar.

“At Wimbledon when Grigor (Dimitrov) was playing against Jannik and I was sitting there, that made it easy to think how it could have been because Grigor plays very similar to how I played,” he remarked.

Because Grigor Dimitrov’s game reminds him so much of his own, Federer said watching that Wimbledon match from the stands made him start imagining what it would be like to face Jannik Sinner himself. It was a rare moment where he truly put himself back in a match situation.

“That was one of the first times I thought how would it have been to play Jannik in a match situation,” he said.

Roger Federer also pointed to another Sinner match that caught everyone’s attention – the 2024 Shanghai Masters final against Novak Djokovic, where the Italian won in straight sets. But this time, his reaction was different.

“When I saw Jannik play against Novak (Djokovic) in Shanghai, I didn’t feel that way, I was just watching great tennis because they both play very different to how I played,” Federer explained.

When it comes to Carlos Alcaraz, though, Roger Federer says the connection feels much stronger.

Watching the Spaniard helps him understand when to attack, when to defend, and how to control points.

“Carlos, when I see him, I feel like there’s more similarities in terms of what we would do, in terms of when we would hit a drop shot, when we would come to the net, how offensive, how passive do we decide to play, because I think we like to play on our terms. So I put myself more into Carlos’s mindset and skin.”

That comparison isn’t new, though.

Many see shades of Federer in Alcaraz, especially in the way he commits to playing at the highest level and trusts his instincts.

Former Federer coach Jose Higueras once echoed that idea, saying both players rely more on feel than rigid patterns. Federer himself agreed, repeating that he naturally puts himself in Alcaraz’s shoes when he watches him.

“I put myself more in Carlos mindset and skin when I watch him. Now with Sinner at one time I thought, ‘Okay, now I understand how I would probably play against Jannik,'” the 44-year-old added.

Now, with the Australian Open just around the corner, attention is once again on how Alcaraz and Sinner will handle the pressure in Melbourne. However, before the tournament even begins, Roger Federer will make an appearance in an exhibition during the opening ceremony alongside Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt, and Patrick Rafter.

Roger Federer reveals his honest thoughts on coaching Carlos Alcaraz

Roger Federer has made it pretty clear he isn’t looking to step into coaching anytime soon, not even for his own son.

“I’m not coaching my son. If they need me, I’m there. I love helping, and other kids too, but someone else should be in charge of the training. I see myself more as a general manager with Leo,” Roger Federer said last year.

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That’s why Mats Wilander sees the idea of Federer coaching Carlos Alcaraz as more of a perfect-on-paper match than something that’s actually close to happening. And Federer himself has moved to quiet the growing speculation from fans and pundits.

With the Australian Open set to stage its first-ever opening ceremony this year, Federer will be front and center. Still, he doesn’t view himself as a coach, at least not right now.

“You should never say never,” he said with a smile. “But I’m very busy and have four children. So no chance at the moment.”

Regardless, on the court, Alcaraz and Sinner have split all eight Grand Slam titles over the past two years and are aiming to keep that grip on the biggest trophies. Alcaraz is chasing history as the youngest man to complete a Career Grand Slam, while two-time champion Sinner will be going for a rare three straight Australian Open titles.

As the Australian Open approaches, the main draw begins Sunday at Melbourne Park, and both stars already know their opening opponents. Alcaraz will start his campaign for a first Australian Open title against Adam Walton, while two-time champion Jannik Sinner opens against Hugo Gaston.