Sinner vs. Alcaraz, Andre. Agassi gives his opinion
Sinner's stunning comeback performance at the Italian Open seems to have made him an unstoppable force in men's tennis, but tennis legend Andre Agassi believes he could be beaten by old rival Carlos Alcaraz at the upcoming French Open.
Sinner quickly returned to peak form after a three-month drug ban and put on a series of strong performances in front of Roma's home fans. This has led many to believe that the world number one is the favourite to succeed Alcaraz as the French Open champion, but Agassi offered a different perspective in an interview with the tennis channel.
"What impressed me most about Alcaraz – although I think he still has a lot to improve – is his ability to 'slow down' when I see him playing on grass or wet tracks, especially when compared to faster moving opponents like Tommy Paul and Alex De Minaur," Agassi said.
For example, these two players (De Minaur and Paul) lose a lot of confidence and balance every time they step on clay or grass, and move in completely different ways. Paul has beaten Alcaraz on several occasions, but all on hard courts. ”
Agassi added:
I don't know how Alcaraz managed to do it without losing those abilities when switching venues, he was like a spaceship against a normal plane, with strength, balance and agility always on line.
On grass, he can catch every ball with incredible ability, and he can handle short balls with seemingly effortless athleticism. I think the secret is in his legs, and that's where all the strength comes from. As long as he's fit and feels good, he's dominant on both surfaces from the start.
Agassi believes Alcaraz's dominance could give him a win over Sinner on any slippery field.
While Agassi is bullish on Alcaraz's chances of beating Sinner on clay and grass, he admits the Italian is close to being "unstoppable" on hard courts. Sinner has won the last three hard-court Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open and US Open, and Agassi believes that dominance will continue.
He said:
When you see Sinner playing on hard courts, it feels like he's in control of all the incoming balls, he's very fast-paced on the court, but he always keeps the ball down and even defuses Alcaraz's spin.
Sinner's way of hitting the ball is 'punishing' but always with purpose and maximum energy. When he hits hard courts like he did at the last US Open, there is almost no one to stop.
When asked who will end up winning more Grand Slam titles between Alcaraz and Sinner, Agassi said:
It's an interesting question. Given their achievements and what they mean to the world of sports, it is perhaps the hottest topic of the moment. There is speculation about who will be better and who will have a more successful career. We're talking more about predictions than reality right now, and in my opinion, it's all about Alcaraz's ability to handle any wet and slippery surface, and that's his best chance to overtake Sinner.
Obviously, Agassi's views are limited to the current tennis landscape. In the situation of the post-05 generation, how long can the reign of Sinner and Alcaraz last? That's a problem. 2024 marks the first season in which Sinner and Alcaraz split four Grand Slam titles. Will it continue this year?
The French Open is approaching (5.26-6.7), and this is an important moment. It has already been confirmed that Sinner and Alcaraz will be seeded in the top and bottom halves of the French Open.
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