The Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis thinks it is “fair” to compare the Italian Jannik Sinner and the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz with the “Big Three”, because the two youngsters are already considered two of the best players currently in men’s tennis in the singles category play.
The original “Big Three” consisted of three former world number one: Roger Federer from Switzerland, Rafael Nadal from Spain and Novak Djokovic from Serbia. The three players dominated men’s tennis in the singles category for over two decades.
Federer retired from the sport in September 2022, while the legendary Spaniard retired from the game earlier this year after competing in the Davis Cup. Since two of the three players retired, fans, pundits and even some current and former players have seen Italian Sinner and Spaniard Alcaraz as the perfect heirs to the original Big Three.
Both players dominated men’s tennis in some ways in 2024, sharing all four Grand Slams. Sinner won the Australian and US Opens, while Alcaraz won the French Open and Wimbledon. The young Italian tennis star also won the ATP Finals in his homeland and helped his country defend the Davis Cup title.
However, some disagree with the comparison of Sinner and Alcaraz, especially because of their young age and experience. Australia’s Kokkinakis recently spoke to Tennis 365 where he explained that he believes it is “fair” to compare the two to the “Big Three”. The 28-year-old felt that both players could be compared to some of the best players in the world based on their talent and ability.
“I think it’s fair to compare them to the Big 3,” he said. “As far as awards go, maybe not because they still have so much of their career ahead of them, but as far as their skills and talent go, they’re at the top of their game. The things they can do are very special. The The way Sinner and Alcaraz move… they are on par with a top-notch Djokovic. They will be at the top for a very long time.”