Carlos Alcaraz has proclaimed that his rivals Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic have “weak points,” but admitted they are difficult to find because “they are very small.”
The two-time Grand Slam champion described Sinner as a “very complete player”, while conveying his hope to battle his Italian rival for the world No 1 ranking throughout his career.
Alcaraz is the current world No 3 behind Djokovic and Sinner, who occupy first and second position respectively. He holds a 2-3 record against Djokovic, while his head-to-head with Sinner is split at 4-4
The Spaniard became the youngest player in ATP history to attain the world No 1 ranking after winning his maiden major at the 2022 US Open.
The 20-year-old last topped the rankings at the 2023 US Open in September, with Djokovic overtaking him and holding the position ever since. He was also passed by Sinner last month, with the Italian climbing to a career-high ranking of world No 2.
Alcaraz ended an eight-month spell without winning a title by defending his crown at the Indian Wells Masters last month. The Spaniard, who has a 15-4 record in 2024, was forced to withdraw from last week’s Monte Carlo Masters and this week’s Barcelona Open due to an arm injury.
In an interview with La Vanguardia, Alcaraz expressed his wish to have a running duel with Sinner at the top of the rankings as he addressed his recent drop to world No 3.
“You play good tennis but maybe it’s not enough to repeat the ranking from the previous year,” he said.
“You defend points, you play against yourself, you need the same results as last year, and you also have to beat your rivals. It is complex, of course.
“I hope we have that battle, him one and me two, and then vice versa. That will make me improve.”
The 13-time ATP titlist then asserted that even his two biggest rivals have weaknesses when asked what he practises to “unsettle” Sinner.
“I keep them to myself, but he (Sinner) is a very complete player. Everyone has weak points, Djokovic too, although it seems not. The difficult thing is to find them, because they are very small,” Alcaraz explained.
Alcaraz is next due to feature at the Madrid Open, which will be played from April 23 and May 5. He is the two-time defending champion at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
Sinner has lost just four matches since the 2023 US Open and has been in blistering form this year, having claimed three titles — including the Australian Open — to compile a 25-2 record in 2024.
Djokovic, meanwhile, has not hit the heights of his incredible 2023 campaign so far this season. The 24-time Grand Slam winner holds an 11-4 record and is yet to reach a final.