Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner delivered an all-time classic in the French Open final on Sunday, where the Spaniard ultimately emerged victorious.
Alcaraz defeated Sinner over five sets, in a five-hour and 29-minute marathon that many are considering to be one of the greatest matches of all time.
Still both in their early 20s, the two rivals already have several Grand Slam titles to their name, and will both likely collect more in the future.
World number 26 Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has played both Alcaraz and Sinner, recently explained what makes them so hard to play against and gave his verdict on the current state of tennis.
Stefanos Tsitsipas says what he finds crazy about Jannik Sinner
On the Changeover Podcast, speaking about playing Sinner and Alcaraz, Tsitsipas said: “Having to withstand failure and growing resilient and having to withstand that mental struggle of pushing through every single time, I have had the privilege to play both of them.
“They are incredible athletes, amazing people, both of them. I can say that it pushes me to want to be better when I see them play.
“I have even considered switching to a double-handed backhand just to beat them [laughs]! But you have seen them play, it’s almost as if they have a second forehand from the backhand.
“Especially Jannik Sinner sometimes I see him and I’m like damn it, it’s crazy, he is slapping the backhand as if it’s a forehand.
“You see them move around the court without many signs of weakness. There is no big hole anywhere in their game.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas explains why competing on the tour is harder nowadays
On the level of the ATP Tour getting better, the Greek star said: “As crazy as it may sound, I was expecting that to happen at some point.
“I remember talking about tennis upgrading and becoming even stronger, and the top three not existing any more because there are going to be way more players competing for big tournaments.
“I think the level has really increased. You get great players in the fourth round now in Slams. Quarter-finals, you get players that are really tough to beat. That was not really the case about five to six years ago. It was not the same.
“So my view on this is that, of course, tennis was probably at a different state a few years back, but that is the natural circle. It is going to happen sooner or later. I don’t see it as a curse or something bad.
“I actually admire that tennis goes through something like that because it’s very healthy and good for the sport.
“I would say the net game has kind of disappeared over the last couple of years, so that is something that has perhaps died over the last couple of decades on tour.
“But the baseline game of those guys and I would consider myself in there as well, why not? We are machines behind the baseline.
“We are working our way through the baseline and trying to win points as effectively as we can and striking the heck out of the ball.”
Tsitsipas, who crashed out of the French Open in the second round, will now enter the grass season with his new coach, Goran Ivanisevic.
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