Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have been a class above over recent years and are currently ranked number one and two in the world.
Since the beginning of the 2024 season, no other player has been able to win a Grand Slam title, as Sinner and Alcaraz continue to dominate.
Earlier this year, Sinner and Alcaraz contested their first Grand Slam final, as the Spaniard prevailed in an instant classic at Roland Garros.
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The pair are expected to win the remaining majors in 2025, as their ATP Tour rivals seem to be lagging behind.
However, despite their success, there is still work to be done, and one tennis legend has now identified the biggest problems in each player’s game.
Stan Smith says Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz can still improve and tells them how
During an interview with La Gazetta dello Sport, former Wimbledon and US Open champion Stan Smith shared his thoughts on how Sinner and Alcaraz can improve.
“[Jannik] Sinner is improving a lot, but he still has room for improvement on his volleys,” said Smith.
“Carlos [Alcaraz] occasionally has moments of disarray or distraction that he needs to work on, but he has speed and physical strength.
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“They will share the tennis cake for a while.”
Smith proceeded to share his thoughts on Sinner and Alcaraz’s legendary French Open final, a match he was in attendance for.
“Yes, I was there. Five and a half hours of incredible tennis. It was a real pleasure to watch,” he said.
“One of the best finals I’ve ever seen, definitely in my top ten.”
The American was then asked whether he believed it would be difficult for Sinner to overcome such a devastating defeat.
“I think it’s already behind him. He’s very strong mentally,” said Smith.
“Facing Alcaraz or [Novak] Djokovic will be tough, but he’ll win a lot of Slams.
“Even greats like [Ivan] Lendl lost a lot of finals early on, and Jannik has already won three majors.”
Ivan Lendl’s first seven Grand Slam finals
After losing six of his first seven Grand Slam finals, Lendl proceeded to win seven of his next 12, retiring with eight majors to his name.
Sinner will hope to enjoy further Grand Slam success in 2025, but may well be wary of the chasing pack.
Stan Smith names three players he thinks could challenge Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz
The American continued on to name three players he believes could cause problems for Sinner and Alcaraz in the future.
“The younger generations are racing,” said Smith.
“Soon, Sinner and Alcaraz will have to watch out for players like [Joao] Fonseca, Ben Shelton himself, who faces Jannik today, and Jack Draper, who perhaps suffered a bit of inexperience here and felt the pressure of home.”
All three players have impressed in 2025, as they rise up the rankings, closing the gap to the world number one and two.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner compared to Ben Shelton, Joao Fonseca, and Jack Draper
It’s tricky to predict which of the trio has the best chance to break through, as all three are in very different situations.
Joao Fonseca is by far the least experienced at just 18 years old, but has the potential to compete right at the very top of men’s tennis.
Only time will tell if he will be able to maximise that potential, or if he will become the latest star to underachieve.
Jack Draper, on the other hand, is the most experienced, older than Alcaraz and the same age as Sinner, at 23 years old.
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A champion at Indian Wells this year and a semifinalist at the US Open in 2024, Draper has established himself as a genuine top-five star.
Ben Shelton is arguably the most intriguing player in tennis today, as he continues to find his best tennis at the Grand Slam tournaments.
Yet to produce consistent results at the Masters 1000 and ATP 500 level, Shelton peaks at the sport’s four majors, reaching two semi-finals at the age of 22.
It remains to be seen if any of the three players Smith mentioned can snap Alcaraz and Sinner’s Grand Slam-winning streak, but it will certainly be something to look out for.