Just as men’s tennis has been transitioning out of the “Big Three” era, a budding rivalry has begin to appear in its place that, in its infancy, has delivered much of the same thrill and fervor.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have quickly infused their own dominance into the annals of the sport, as the Spaniard and Italian have combined to win each of the last seven Grand Slam titles dating back to the 2024 Australian Open.
The top two players in the world, Sinner and Alcaraz have met in the last two of those Slam finals, including an indelible, five-setter for the record books at Roland Garros — won by Alcaraz in a tiebreak after he lost the first two sets and Sinner had three match points in the fourth.
With their paths now inexorably intertwined, it sets the stage for another potential clash at the final major of the year, the U.S. Open in New York. Can anyone derail the duo? And what about the chances of the leading American men, including Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and Hyattsville, Maryland, native Frances Tiafoe, who reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open just last year before losing to Sinner, the eventual champion?
On this edition of District of Sports, we break down all of that and more with tennis writer Giri Nathan, author of the new book Changeover: A Young Rivalry and a New Era of Men’s Tennis. Nathan discusses the onus for the book, the difference between this rivalry and the one between Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, Tiafoe’s chances for a breakthrough in this new era, and more.
Changeover is out now and available wherever books are sold.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.