"Novak Djokovic is still there" - Rafael Nadal cautions against prematurely comparing Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner's rivalry to the Big-3
Rafael Nadal has shared his thoughts on the emergence of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as the new faces of men's tennis after the 'Big 3' era. However, the Spaniard refrained from making a comparison between their budding rivalry and his own legendary battles with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Making the penultimate stop before his farewell, Nadal has arrived in Riyadh for the Six Kings Slam exhibition, where he will compete alongside Djokovic, Alcaraz, Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, and Holger Rune. Alcaraz could face the 22-time Grand Slam champion in the semifinals, followed by a potential blockbuster final against Sinner, provided the Italian beats Medvedev and the Serb.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have established one of the most compelling rivalries on tour, having locked horns in 10 tour-level encounters. The pair recently produced a thriller during their title clash at the 2024 China Open, where the Spaniard claimed a hard-fought 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3) victory to take a 6-4 lead in their head-to-head record.
In a recent interview with DAZN, Rafael Nadal acknowledged the captivating nature of the duo's rivalry but urged patience in making comparisons to his own rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
"We need to wait but of course this year, already two Gand Slams each, number one, number two in the world, so they are creating their own story."
The 38-year-old asserted that it was premature to draw comparisons between eras, especially with Djokovic still competing on tour. Nadal emphasized the importance of allowing Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner to carve out their own story without the burden of living up to the fierce competition between the 'Big 3.'
"I mean, I think it's not the moment to compare eras because Novak is still there. Roger and I, we left, we're gonna leave soon but that's part of the sports career of everyone so now it's new generation coming," he said.
He added:
"We need to leave them, create their own rivalries and create their own story without, they don't need the comparisons with us and let's see at the end of their careers, then going to be the moment to compare what they did, what we did."
"Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are achieving amazing things... they're gonna build an amazing career" - Rafael Nadal
During the same interview, Rafael Nadal lavished praise on Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as the new generation of tennis stars, commending them for their impressive accomplishments at such young ages.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion also wished them well for their future and expressed confidence that both players would go on to have amazing careers, provided they remained free from injuries.
"They are doing great. They are very young, they already are achieving amazing things, winning Grand Slams, winning Masters 1000s, creating great numbers out there and they are very young."
"Carlos, Jannik, especially these two guys are making a special thing so wish them all the very best to keep growing in all ways and they are already huge stars and I'm sure if they are able to stay free of injuries, they're gonna build an amazing caree.,"
Following the Six Kings Slam, Rafael Nadal will be back in action to represent Spain at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals, marking the final tournament of his illustrious career. Carlos Alcaraz will join his fellow Spaniard for their quarterfinal clash with Netherlands, while Jannik Sinner leads Italy in their contest against Argentina.