ATP | Soon the transfer of power at the top of world tennis?

(Melbourne) After Carlos Alcaraz at the age of 19, Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open: the rising stars of world tennis are nibbling away at the territory that has long remained exclusive to the “Big 3”. Will they soon sink their teeth into it?

The transfer of power is not yet completely on the agenda. But it seems to be becoming clearer.

The day after the Australian Open which brought Sinner, at 22, into the club of Grand Slam winners, Novak Djokovic, even debunked in the semi-finals by the young Italian, begins his 410^e record week on the throne of world tennis.

But behind it, undeniably, things are growing stronger and stronger. THE top 4completed by Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev (beaten in the final on Sunday) and Sinner, stands on just over 1,500 points (a major title brings in 2,000).

And from one field to another, the signs that the young guard is asserting themselves are multiplying.

First there was Wimbledon in the summer of 2023, when Alcaraz, only six matches played on grass before last year, dethroned Djokovic after an epic final, on a surface where he was still thought to be the Sheltered from the attacks of the flamboyant Spaniard.

There were also the two victories in ten days (and three matches) for Sinner against the Serbian at the 24 major trophies in November, at the Masters (in the group stage) and in the Davis Cup.

“Not necessarily the beginning of the end”

There is now Melbourne, where the Tyrolean with the red curls, before being crowned, achieved what no one, ever, had achieved: stopping Djokovic on his favorite court once he reached the last four.

So much so that for the first time in almost twenty years (2005 precisely) neither Roger Federer (retired) nor Rafael Nadal, who submits his broken body to a final attempt at a comeback at 37, nor Djokovic, were there. of the Australian Open final.

Obviously, this first match lost by “Djoko” in six years – after 33 victories in a row – on his favorite playing field, almost his private preserve, raises questions.

Is the end of his reign awaiting the 36-year-old Serb?

“I didn’t play up to my standards here, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the beginning of the end,” Djokovic responds. It’s only the beginning of the season. I still have high ambitions for the other Grand Slams and the Olympics in particular.

“This city is very special to me. I just hope that I will have the chance to come back, to play at least one more time,” he says.

Asked to compare ourselves to Alcaraz in particular, “what we have in common is that we believe in ourselves,” Sinner identifies. In tennis that’s already a lot. »

“Make a name for yourself”

“They have a great personality. It’s important that they do what Jannik was able to do: show that the new generation fights until the end,” said his co-coach Darren Cahill.

“They really want to make a name for themselves, and that’s what Jannik did. Carlos has already done it several times, the final he played at Wimbledon, it was an exceptional performance,” he continues.

Alcaraz-Sinner also promises spectacular duels, like their breathtaking quarter-final at the 2022 US Open.

“Carlos and Jannik are similar in the spark they bring to the game, they like each other, they have a healthy rivalry,” says Cahill. When they face each other, there is electricity in the air. I don’t think any of their face-to-face encounters were boring. »

“Carlos led the way. It’s a treat to watch him play. We aspire to be as good as him, and, one day perhaps, better,” Cahill aims.

Sinner, “he’s a special kid,” he said. “When you have his ball striking, his desire to progress, his quality of movement, you will succeed. Our job as a coach is to get him where he wants as quickly as possible, so that he can have a long window at the top of the game. He absorbs everything, he tries new things on the court, he doesn’t just asking for progress. I’m sure that when all this settles down, he won’t rest on his laurels. »