Carlos Alcaraz could be surpassed by Jannik Sinner as the Italian continues his winning streak.
Carlos Alcaraz has received more bad news as tennis fans believe Jannik Sinner will surpass his Grand Slam tally by the end of the year. The two-time Major winner has had a disappointing start to 2024, suffering some uncharacteristic losses and getting injured in Rio. Meanwhile, Sinner is in the form of his life and is unbeaten so far this year, winning the Australian Open. If the Italian is to outdo Alcaraz, he will need to win three of the four Slams in a single year – something Novak Djokovic has achieved three times.
Sinner is currently the man of the moment. The 22-year-old has lost just two matches since the US Open and has victories over Djokovic, Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev in that period. After an impressive end to 2023 – winning in Beijing and Vienna, and helping Italy clinch the Davis Cup – he carried his momentum into the new season.
The world No. 3 is yet to lose a match this year, winning the Australian Open and backing it up by lifting the Rotterdam trophy. While Alcaraz was once the sole young player challenging Djokovic for the biggest titles, Sinner has stepped up and cemented himself as one of the best players in the world.
And tennis fans now believe that the Italian will go on to outdo Alcaraz, who currently has two Grand Slam titles to his name – the 2022 US Open and 2023 Wimbledon. Asked which player would end this year with the most Majors, Alcaraz was blown out of the water by his rival as 73 per cent of Express Sport readers voted for Sinner.
With Carlos Alcaraz holding two Slams and Sinner recently winning his first, the 22-year-old will have to put in a monumental shift to live up to the prediction. Sinner must capture at least two more Majors this year, hoping that the Spaniard doesn’t win any. With the Australian Open already under his belt, it means the world No. 3 would need to win three of the four Grand Slam tournaments in 2024.
It’s something that Djokovic has done on three separate occasions – 2015, 2021 and last year, when his only loss came to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final. Rafael Nadal also won three Majors in a single season back in 2010, while Federer also managed it three times in 2004, 2006 and 2007.
Even the Calendar Grand Slam – winning all four in a single season – has been too much for Djokovic, Nadal and Federer. And Alcaraz will be hoping that Sinner fails to lift more Major trophies this year so his lead can stay intact.
The 20-year-old recently suffered a setback in Rio when he was forced to retire just two games into his opening match. He rolled his ankle on the second point and has since announced that he suffered a grade II lateral sprain.
Alcaraz is expecting to be ready in time to face Rafael Nadal in The Netflix Slam, a Las Vegas exhibition match on March 3. He will then attempt to defend his title at the Indian Wells Masters.
The Spaniard has not reached a final since Cincinnati last August and has not won a title since Wimbledon in July. So far this year he has lost in the Australian Open quarter-final and the Buenos Aires semi-final.
