Rafael Nadal Doubtful of Next Gen Tennis Stars like Alcaraz and Sinner: Djokovic Still the Man to Beat

Despite the success of young talents Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner on the ATP Tour, Rafael Nadal is still doubtful that they will take tennis to a new level. Both players have recently won major Grand Slam titles, including wins over Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon and the Australian Open.

These successes have led to speculation that a new generation is poised to dominate world tennis. However, Nadal, who along with Roger Federer and Djokovic dominated major tournaments for more than two decades, sees the situation differently.

POINTS OF THE CHURCH

In an interview with the Tennis Channel, Nadal mentioned the new stars in the tennis sky: “Of course they are amazing players, but if we take into account that Novak Djokovic won three of the four Grand Slams last year and played in the final of the fourth, he is still the man to beat . Djokovic’s success, also shortly before his 37th birthday.

Birthday, proving to Nadal that the old guard has not yet been completely replaced.

Djokovic: An unparalleled legacy

Djokovic himself sees the current stage of his career as a transition period.

He has won 12 of his 24 Grand Slam titles since 2018, a period in which Federer and Nadal declined for different reasons. The long-term nature of his achievements is impressive and shows how committed he has been to staying at the top of the game, even as his biggest rivals have pulled away.

Djokovic reflects on the changes in his career and the importance of rivalry: “Everything in life happens for a reason and it’s good for our sport that we’ve had some amazing tournaments that have defined two decades. He remembers John McEnroe’s words that he heard in a documentary: When Björn Borg pulled out, McEnroe felt as if a part of him had retired as well.

“I feel the same way since Roger retired and Rafa hardly plays anymore. It’s a strange feeling. I’m trying to find new rivals and I’ve had some good matches with Alcaraz and Sinner, but they’re still my two biggest rivals of all time.” Djokovic will probably finish his career as the statistically greatest tennis player of all time, but Nadal might think those numbers would be different if he could continue with his career at the highest level for a longer time.