🎾 Chikaya Sato vs Boris Kozlov
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Boris Becker He is one of the most authoritative voices in the world of tennis for many reasons. In recent times, his vein of coaching and examining players is more alive than ever, being his last experience as a coach with Holger Rune. However, the German has been talking in a recent interview about the players who are dominating the circuit with Jannik Sinner y Carlos Alcarazwho have won all the Grand Slams this 2024.
The former world number 1 is no stranger to the Italian’s great success this season, who will end the year as world number 1 (the first in his country to achieve this). Thus, he wanted to compare Sinner with Novak Djokovicbut in the good sense of the word, since there are quite a few similarities. “I’ve watched a lot of Jannik’s matches lately, he’s in very good shape. From the US Open onwards he is clearly playing his best tennis. As for Nole, he looks like him. Their style is very similar, especially in terms of consistency. Jannik never goes down, he always plays at a very high level and brings excellent quality tennis to the court. “He prints great speed in his punches and moves his opponents away from the baseline.”he said to the Gazzetta dello Sport.
One of Sinner’s most impressive statistics in 2024 is that he has only lost 6 games so far. And of those defeats, half have been at the hands of Alcaraz, his quintessential rival. “The losses occurred because Carlos is capable of playing at perhaps even a higher speed than Sinner, but not with the same consistency. However, when Alcaraz plays his tennis at the highest level, it is difficult even for Jannik to beat him. When you fight for number 1, for the Slams, then you do everything possible to surpass your rival and raise your level in an exceptional way, like Carlos does”, Becker praised the Murcian.
Becker’s new ‘Big 3’
And, for the German and like for many people, both Alcaraz and Jannik have laid the foundations for a rivalry that is expected to last a long time and be the main protagonist of the circuit. Not only because of the way they play, whether or not it is similar to the members of the ‘Big 3’, but because of what they both represent. If Becker compared Sinner to the Serbian, he now compares the Spaniard with Roger Federer. In addition, he offers an alternative to Holger Rune, his former pupil, to complete that trio that tennis needs, all under his opinion, of course:
“We can define Sinner and Alcaraz as the Djokovic and Federer of the future, although proper proportions must be maintained. Roger and Nole have made history in this sport, just like Rafa Nadal. Alcaraz’s playing style, in terms of beauty, is more similar to that of the Swiss, although his idol has always been Rafa. From a purely stylistic point of view, the Spaniard can be compared to Federer and the Italian to Djokovic.
However, now on the circuit we have another dilemma. We need a ‘Nadal’ to complete the new Big 3 and another player to follow the ‘Fab Four’. The one who for me is closest to reaching the top is Ben Shelton. The most prepared, at the beginning, seemed like Holger Rune, but he hasn’t made much progress this year. However, I also watched the American for a long time in the Laver Cup, in singles and doubles, and I liked his attitude. He smiles, puts on a show and has fun.”
