The growing Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner duopoly could be unhealthy for men’s tennis, according to Australian legend Pat Cash, as the pair enter a third straight season leading the pack on the ATP tour.
Alcaraz and Sinner have seamlessly taken over from the Big Three era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. Their dominance, however, has left little room for a third contender to break through.
The duo have split the last eight Grand Slam titles evenly. They have also won four ATP Masters 1000 titles each in the last two years, with Sinner also adding the last two Nitto ATP Finals to his resume.
Cash, a former Wimbledon champion and two-time Australian Open runner-up, warned that expectations on them may become unrealistic following their epic French Open final last year.
“It’s a two-horse race and I don’t necessarily think it’s a healthy thing. We want to see those great finals between them and the French Open final set the bench so high that everyone wants to see that. We all want another five-set thriller with points being won from all angles, but that’s not going to happen all the time,” Cash told Tennis365.
He also suggested that tournament organizers are overly reliant on the pair, which may not be ideal for the sport.
“So it is very much a two-horse race and if one of them has a bad day and gets knocked out, the tournament officials are going to be worried. They are all hoping Alcaraz and Sinner get to the final and do what they did at the French Open last year all over again. They are holding their breath that these two guys get through and that’s not necessarily a healthy thing,” Cash continued.
Despite his concerns, Cash admitted he would still eagerly watch if the two met in the Australian Open final, in what would also mark Alcaraz’s first appearance in the Melbourne title match.
“Would I like to see Alcaraz and Sinner in the final of the Australian Open on a few weeks time? You bet ya I would. It would be really something. These two are the best in the world, there is no doubt about that,” Cash said.
Pat Cash Weighs In On Next Gen Chasing Alcaraz And Sinner
Pat Cash expressed hope that British No. 1 Jack Draper could challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, saying that he possesses the firepower needed to trouble the sport’s top two. Recurring injuries, however, have stalled Draper’s progress and forced him to miss the Australian Open.
“The one I thought should challenge Alcaraz and Sinner was Jack Draper, but he is having his injury problems. He’s the one who has the firepower, but the poor guy has struggled to keep himself on the track, which is a real shame,” Cash said.
Speaking from Hong Kong, where he is attending the Hong Kong Open as a brand ambassador, Cash also praised several other players for their strong performances last season.
“I look at Lorenzo Musetti, who is playing in Hong Kong this week, and he could be one who can get into the mix with the top guys after he did so well last year. The same goes for Alexander Bublik, who has all the talent. Novak is going to be nipping at their heels for as long as he is playing and then you look at Taylor Fritz and he is pushing to get in there,” Cash continued.
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