The year 2023 has witnessed some mouth-watering matches and interesting rivalries. With the departure of Roger Federer from tennis and Rafael Nadal out due to injuries, many thought that the craze of the game would come to an end, now that only Novak Djokovic remains from the pack. However, little did anyone know that the upcoming generation is all set to take the stage by storm and conquer everything in the tennis world. From Carlos Alcaraz to Jannik Sinner, the young generation is full of potential and does not know any stopping.
That being said, the action-packed madness returned and new rivalries took birth. With Novak Djokovic leading the charts, some youngsters have proved their potential and showcased why they deserve to be at the top.
3 rivalries that the year 2023 saw
This year saw the rise of two major stars in tennis, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Both of these stars have displayed immense potential throughout the year while bagging major success. While Alcaraz managed to win the Wimbledon this year, his second career grand slam, Jannik Sinner managed to lay his hands on the Davis Cup title along with many sensational performances.
With Novak Djokovic standing where he was all these years, here’s how the youngsters have given birth to new rivalries.
1) Novak Djokovic vs. Carlos Alcaraz
One of the major talks of the season is the rivalry between these two players. The main rivalry came to light when the two faced off against each other in the finals of Wimbledon. When it comes to the head-to-head stats between the two players, Novak Djokovic leads the charts with 3 wins as compared to Alcaraz’s 2. However this year, they faced each other 4 times and Djokovic triumphed thrice.
It all started at the clay courts of Roland Garros this year. Djokovic and Alcaraz locked horns, exchanging powerful shots and strategic gameplay. However, it was the Serbian great who managed to take matters into his own hands and stun the Spaniard and reach the finals.
The exact moment Novak Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz.
36 years old vs 20 years old and still the best.
Simply the greatest. 🐐💪🏻pic.twitter.com/vQ1dKYXlFo
— Danny 🐊 (@DjokovicFan_) November 18, 2023
The drama continued at Wimbledon. The stage was all set for an intriguing final between Djokovic and the rising star, Carlos Alcaraz. In a five-set epic, Alcaraz displayed his skills and clinched a stunning victory after a nail-biting final set. The final scoreline of the match ended 1-6, 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 in the 20-year-old’s favor.
The battle further continued at the Cincinnati Masters and the ATP Finals but Carlos Alcaraz could not reach anywhere close to the Serbian like the way he did back at Wimbledon. For Alcaraz, Djokovic is not the only one with whom he has a rivalry. There are others on the list as well.
2) Carlos Alcaraz vs. Jannik Sinner
Another rivalry that is slowly and steadily starting to take shape is the Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry. Their encounters in the ATP Masters events in Miami and Indian Wells give a little insight into what the future battles hold for these two players. When it comes to the head-to-head stats, Jannik Sinner is a clear winner as he has managed to bag 4 wins out of the 7 matches played.
Talking about their matches this year, Sinner and Alcaraz faced off a total of 3 times and Sinner prevailed as a clear winner with a 66% win rate. Their first meeting this year came at the Indian Wells and Alcaraz was a clear winner in it.
However, the Italian player managed to make a swift comeback at the Miami Open this year and level the scoreline at 1-1 each. Then again in Beijing, Sinner took the advantage and ended the year with a 2-1 lead over his rival. With both the players quite young in their careers, there are a lot of expectations from them.
3) Novak Djokovic vs. Jannik Sinner
One of the most talked about rivalries currently is the one that the Serbian has with Italian star Jannik Sinner. Their rivalry took a unique turn towards the latter half of the season. Having faced just twice before entering the 2023 year, the two faced each other a total of 4 times this year. What’s more interesting is the fact that both players are tied with 2-2 wins each.
Managing this kind of score against the Serbian legend is something worth noting. The Davis Cup and Nitto ATP Finals witnessed Djokovic and Sinner locking horns in thrilling encounters. In the ATP Finals, Novak Djokovic once suffered a defeat at the hands of the Italian, who played in front of the home crowd. However, it was the Serbian who turned things around quickly as the two locked horns yet again in the finals of the same tournament. This enabled him to lay his hands on the title.
https://x.com/damon_walt/status/1728485153360736432?s=20
However, Sinner was quick to take revenge for the Finals defeat at the Davis Cup final. His perseverance at the Davis Cup Finals helped him to a hard-fought victory against Djokovic. This showcases his ability to challenge even the most seasoned champions.
Their Wimbledon clash added another chapter to their rivalry, with Djokovic prevailing in straight sets. The match highlighted Djokovic’s finesse and experience on the grass courts. It also solidifies his stature as a strong force even against the rising talents of the sport.
Thus, the year has seen the rise of some of the best names in the game. Moreover, their rise has also led to some mouth-watering rivalries and breathtaking matches. As the year now comes to a close, the fans would be eagerly waiting for the start of the next season as the rising tennis stars would come head-to-head against each other, yet again.
