Carlos Alcaraz intentionally or unintentionally showed shades of legendary Serena Williams after conceding the ATP World No. 1 ranking to Jannik Sinner. The seven-time Grand Slam champion lost the Monte-Carlo Masters final against the Italian last week.
The Spaniard has a chance to reclaim the throne if he manages to win the upcoming Barcelona Open, where his participation is uncertain.
Alcaraz, who has three more Grand Slams than Sinner, recently said the following in a press conference:
“I see myself as No.2, that’s where I am. I think Sinner’s did a great job of getting to No.1, he won Miami and Monte Carlo.”
These remarks were eerily similar to what Williams once said when she conceded her No. 1 spot to rival Dinara Safina in 2009. At the time, Williams, who struggled with form and injuries, said the following in a press conference:
“I think if you hold three Grand Slam titles, then maybe you should be No. 1, but not in the WTA Tour, obviously. I’d definitely rather be No. 2 and hold three Grand Slams in the past year than be No. 1 and not have any. I see myself as No. 2, that’s where I am. I think Dinara did a great job to get to No. 1. She won Rome and Madrid.”
One tennis enthusiast pointed this out and shared the moment on Instagram.
The above Instagram video also mentions that despite what Williams said in the press conference at the time, she always found herself better than anyone, as she also once called herself the true No. 1 over Dinara Safina because she had more major achievements, including multiple Grand Slam titles.
How Serena Williams’ Rivalry With Dinara Safina Different from Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s?
Serena Williams’ rivalry with Dinara Safina is far different than what we are seeing between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
Between Williams and Safina, the former was clearly the superior as far as major achievements go, even though Safina held the No. 1 ranking for 26 weeks. Williams finished her career with 23 Grand Slams while Safina had none. She was a three-time Grand Slam finalist in women’s singles.
On the other hand, Alcaraz and Sinner’s rivalry is closer and even well-respected between the two. The duo split the four Grand Slams last year. They have dominated the ATP tour for the better part of the last three years and apart from multiple ATP titles, Sinner also has four Grand Slams to show. Both players are in the early stages of their careers and will likely remain formidable opponents in years to come.
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