The 2025 season has undoubtedly been the year of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. The two once again split the Grand Slams between themselves this year and met six times in six finals, including three Slams, two Masters 1000s, and the ATP Finals. Safe to say, 2026 is in for another round of their competitive energy, but an Italian legend sees more than just that.

Adriano Panatta and Paolo Bertolucci recently discussed a perceived flaw in modern tennis during an appearance on DJ Radio. They highlighted how the sport’s elite level lacks the balance and variety of past eras. Their comments sparked debate about today’s dominant players.

“If we look at the elite of the seventies,” Panatta said, “each of the top ten won at least one Grand Slam. The competition was much more balanced; anyone could lose. Today, Alcaraz and Sinner can’t lose anything.” The 1976 French Open champion pointed to this shift as evidence of reduced unpredictability at the top.​​

The ex-pro called out how today’s tennis all looks the same, with so few unique styles left in the mix. “Alcaraz and Sinner are very good, but today almost everyone plays the same. Björn Borg and Guillermo Vilas have always beaten opponents with a similar style of play. But if they played against me or John McEnroe, they would lose because we play differently. There’s no such thing as a true attacker these days.”

He argued that such variety once defined the game’s excitement.​​

The pair noted that Novak Djokovic stands alone in challenging Alcaraz and Sinner. Driven by his competitive hunger, the Serb fought valiantly, reaching the semis in all four Slams, though he struggled for consistency beyond his quarterfinal victory over Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open. No other rival has mounted a serious threat.​

Potential contenders like Ben Shelton, Félix Auger-Aliassime, and João Fonseca have emerged in discussions. Djokovic will always remain a threat, but the 38-year-old version of him is no longer able to match the physicality of Sincaraz’s game, as this year has shown.

On the other hand, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev’s chances against the pair appear to wane. No one has legitimately threatened the “New Two” atop the ATP rankings. On the other hand, while Panatta sees a clear flaw, another former pro views the Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry as a net positive.

An American ex-pro points out the advantage of the Alcaraz and Sinner rivalry

Five months have passed by since Alcaraz and Sinner delivered that epic French Open final. They battled through five grueling sets over five-plus hours. It stands as the longest final in Roland Garros history. Andy Roddick, though, still thinks about it.

He dove back into the magic on his Served podcast alongside co-host Jon Wertheim. The former No. 1 captured the essence perfectly: “An absolute force of mental anguish, athleticism, drama, peaking at the right time.” He made it clear this went beyond victory. It shaped an entire generation. Roddick kept the praise flowing.

“Everything you could ever want in a match, this was. That’s before we get to sportsmanship. That’s before we get to humanity.” His words hung in the air like the tension on court that day.

During the final, Sinner struck first with commanding wins in the opening two sets. Triumph looked locked in. But Carlos Alcaraz flipped the script. He seized the third set and edged the fourth in a nail-biting tiebreak to square things up. Philippe-Chatrier buzzed with raw intensity. Pressure crushed most players there. Alcaraz thrived on it.

He saved every critical point, broke back fiercely, and dragged the fifth into a tiebreak. Roland Garros saw its first final-set tiebreak ever. The crowd lost it when he clinched the win.

Roddick zeroed in on what elevates their rivalry. “Both these guys do things the right way. You’re not cheering for or against. Maybe you are, but you’re cheering for them together, right? They make each other better. We want this rivalry.” Pure fire meets total respect.

Now, the 2026 season looms with fresh Sincaraz sparks. They team up for an exhibition in South Korea before the Australian Open heat. Sinner hunts a three-peat down under, and Alcaraz chases his Career Slam. Who will prevail? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.