Before the emergence of Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner, the burning question among tennis fans was who would step into the void left by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
At one point in time, it appeared as though Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas were destined to emerge as the “New Big Three.” However, of the three, only Medvedev, who also reached a career-high of No. 1 in the world, has a Grand Slam on his resume.
With the emergence of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as the “New Two,” many fans have been wondering whether there’s a player currently on tour who can compete with the two stars.
The way famed coach Patrick Mouratoglou sees things, Ben Shelton, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Joao Fonseca, Holger Rune, and Jack Draper all have what it takes to compete with the best of the best in the years to come.
In a post on LinkedIn this week, Mouratoglou wrote, in part:
“Everyone keeps asking me: who can truly challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in the years to come? To do so, a player needs everything: a great forehand, great backhand, great serve, great movement, and a great mindset. It’s a lot.
“A few names come to mind: Ben Shelton, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Joao Fonseca, Holger Rune, and Jack Draper.”
Along with each name, Mouratoglou explained why he feels each player can compete with both Alcaraz and Sinner.
Patrick Mouratoglou Breaks Down Top Young Players
The legendary coach, who famously founded the Mouratoglou Academy, first started with Ben Shelton, who won his maiden Masters 1000 title at the National Bank Open in Toronto this year:
“For me, the biggest breakthrough of this summer has been the emergence of Ben Shelton at the very top level. He’s exciting to watch, he fills up stadiums, and when he plays, things happen.
His serve and forehand are unbelievable, and being left-handed gives him another advantage. He already has two key pieces of the full package.
“But he needs to improve his movement and make his backhand a true weapon. If he does, he can really compete with Carlos and Jannik.”
Mouratoglou also broke down the game of teenage sensation Joao Fonseca, who has shown flashes of brilliance throughout his short career:
“So many people are talking about him as the next big thing. He’s got huge potential, with no real weaknesses in his game. Both groundstrokes are very strong, he serves well, he moves well, and most importantly, he really wants it.
“But we have to be patient. He’s still young, still learning, and he needs to climb the rankings step by step before becoming a real threat.”
Mouratoglou Isn’t Ruling Out Rune as Threat to Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner
Mouratoglou also weighed in on Holger Rune, a player he spent time coaching last season.
Rune first had a breakout year in 2021, going from No. 103 in the world at the start of the year to No. 11 in the world at the end of the year. Since then, however, he’s been unable to firmly establish himself as a Slam threat.
The way Mouratoglou sees things, if Rune can find consistency, there’s nothing stopping him from competing with both Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner:
“I know Holger well. He has what it takes: huge forehand, huge backhand, great serve, unbelievable movement, and a big desire to succeed.
“But right now, he lacks stability and consistency. His emotions sometimes take over, and that can cost him matches. If he solves that, he’s right up there.”
Mouratoglou Praises FAA & Draper for Improvements
Patrick Mouratoglou also highlighted the improvements in the games of both Felix Auger-Aliassime and Jack Draper this season.
Auger-Aliassime notably went on impressive runs in both Cincinnati and Flushing Meadows before falling to Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Open, and the semifinals of the US Open:
“It was great to see him back on track at the US Open. His serve, forehand, and movement are fantastic. He also improved his backhand, but it still needs to become a real strength.
In today’s tennis, you can’t afford a weakness. If Felix develops that backhand further, he can be top 5 and compete at the very highest level.”
In the case of Draper, while UK’s No. 1 was able to find success in Indian Wells, Mouratoglou thinks that his ability to potentially challenge Alcaraz and Sinner all comes down to health:
“Jack made great progress, winning Indian Wells and reaching the final in Madrid. His backhand is no longer a weakness, and he’s very driven.
“But his issue is his body. He keeps getting injured, which stops him from building momentum. If he can stay healthy, he has the qualities to be a rival.”
As he concluded, the future of tennis is bright!
Top Coach Names 5 Players Who Can Challenge Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner