Olympic runner-up uses Sinner-Alcaraz to criticize the lack of intensity in today's tennis

The once-famous player believes that Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are "going it alone" on their path to titles, facing less fierce competition from their peers.

The strong rise of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in recent years has led the tennis world to question whether these young players could maintain their top status if they had to compete during the era of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer.

While many fans believe Sinner and Alcaraz have the talent to compete fairly with the legends, others argue that the "Big 3" era was a harsh period that few can replicate. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the famous French player, recently shared his views on this topic in an interview with Univers Tennis.

"I wish to see them face Del Potro in the third round, Murray in the round of 16, Djokovic in the quarterfinals, Federer in the semifinals, and Nadal in the final. Right now, they are creating too much distance from the rest," Tsonga said, implying that the intensity of the previous era is very different from today.

Having reached world No. 5, Tsonga was one of the most memorable players due to his explosive style, emotional play, and fierce fighting spirit, ranking among the top 5 players with the best break-point saves in history. Despite injuries affecting his career, the Olympic silver medalist from London 2012 is still remembered as one of the most exciting players of his generation.

Since Novak Djokovic's US Open 2023 victory, the tennis world has entered a new chapter: the "Big 2" with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who together have claimed the last eight Grand Slam titles. Other top 10 players barely reach the level of this duo.

Previously, the "Big 3" Djokovic-Nadal-Federer dominated, but players like Marin Cilic, Stanislas Wawrinka, Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and Juan Martin del Potro all delivered high-class tennis that impressed even the most demanding fans.

This is something that most stars in today's top 10 and top 20 have yet to provide; players such as Taylor Fritz, Alex De Minaur, Holger Rune, Casper Ruud, etc., still lack a certain element to offer the best experience for tennis fans. This is probably what Tsonga wanted to emphasize when mentioning Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in his assessment of current tennis.

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