Why the post Federer-Nadal tennis world needs Jannik Sinner with Alcaraz and Djokovic

The reason for tennis’ concerns is the thunder received by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) last September. He challenged the license given to Sinner by an independent panel in an old case in which the world number 1 allegedly tested positive for a banned substance. WADA has now appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and if the appeal is successful, Sinner could be banned for almost two years.

Respecting the ethics of fair play and while supporting tough sanctions against cheaters, Sinner’s long absence from the tour will be a severe blow to the sport which is struggling to recover after Roger to resign. Federer and Rafa Nadal.

At 23, Sinner has two Grand Slams, is world number 1 and is also part of an exciting new tennis tournament. His duels with 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz are a big draw. Mats Wilander assesses the Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry better than the ones between Djokovic, Nadal and Federer. “When Sinner and Alcaraz are at their best, nobody has ever played tennis better,” he said.

In addition to Wilander’s exaggeration, Sinner has used it to beat Djokovic. But against Alcaraz, he hesitates most of the time. Tennis seems to have found its Big 3. Watching the hard courts at the ATP Finals reinforces the idea that Pickleball and Paddle will remain the racquet sport equal to tennis as king.

The intense Sinner-Alcaraz fights held promise. This year, after the “match of the year” at the China Open in September, when Wilander was carried away, both men achieved the impossible. So used to these big Slam weekends with Federer, Nadal and Djokovic; the young opposition had almost followed suit.

In 2024, the Sinner-Alcaraz show was the new traveling circus that received rave reviews around the world. Discouraged by the two big departures they saw flashes of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic in Sinner and Alcaraz. Now there are doubts.

If the CAS decision, expected early next year, goes against Sinner, tennis will lose its fans and the support it relies on. Before WADA’s shocking public statement, tennis in 2024 seemed to be following a script that seemed to have been written by marketing executives in the ATP office. Tennis was great again. It was a collection that reality show hosts knew how to put together – diverse characters that promise ultimate entertainment.

That is why the international circuit is a battlefield where equal conflicts take place. This year, Sinner won the Australian Open and the US Open, Alcaraz won at Roland Garros and Wimbledon and Djokovic won gold at the Paris Olympics. The results of their last four meetings do not give any idea about their ranking. Sinner-Djokovic: 3-1, Alcaraz-Sinner: 3-1, Djokovic-Alcaraz: 3-1.

The clash between two young Turks and an old master they respect but don’t fear – it’s gold dust, a dream setting for any sport. Three strong opponents means that there is no shortage of leadership and that the competition is very complicated on the field. Duopoly is dangerous, tri-poly offers protection from injuries.

Everything is in place for tennis. The cast is different: there are many heroes, but also anti-heroes. Alcaraz is the kind of boy mothers want their daughters to bring home, but the same can’t be said for Zverev, infamous for settling a domestic violence case with his ex-girlfriend . A sinner has an air of mystery about him. Good old Djokovic, lost in love during the Federer-Nadal era, finally received support and sympathy from the stands.

Anyone who wants to understand what tennis might be missing in the next two years should watch the China Open final. It was a throwback to the days when Djokovic started challenging Federer.

Alcaraz was throwing the kitchen sink at the ball, Sinner was more careful. Alcaraz and Federer, Sinner and Djokovic. The Spaniard is like a young boy at Disneyland, excited to take advantage of every corner of the pitch, running around chasing balls, refusing to get off the roller. A sinner is more measurable – than time and pictures. Alcaraz moves from 7/10 to 11/10, sinner remains at 9/10.

However, in case the unthinkable happens, it is Djokovic who would miss the biggest sinners. After the Parisian gold, the Serbian with the Grand Slam record seemed to have achieved everything. He wore the medal for days, and even wore it at the next tournament in which he competed.

For a strong competitor like Djokovic, 2025 would be about improving his overall record to 4-4 against Sinner. This is what wakes him up on winter mornings and gets him through that extra hour in training. John McEnroe seemed to lose motivation after his biggest rival Bjorn Borg retired as their head-to-head record was 7-7. Djokovic cannot lose his drive at this stage of his career and life.

Among those who would be praising Sinner with their fingers crossed this weekend would be the 37-year-old Serbian.

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