Simone Vagnozzi who is coaching Italian phenomenon Jannik Sinner thinks Carlos Alcaraz is better than Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic for his age. The Spaniard reclaimed the world #1 spot by clinching Indian Wells title where he triumphed over Vagnozzi’s pupil Sinner in the semifinal.
Vagnozzi has been coaching Sinner since February 2022 and under this tutelage the Italian has beaten Alcaraz twice in their five matches. Sinner has been in some great form of late and has bagged Montepellier as his seventh title.
While speadking to Ubitennis, one of the top coach at the tour, Vagnozzi was full of praise for ATP #1 Alcaraz: “We’re talking about a phenomenon. At 19 no one played like that, not even those we call sacred monsters like Djokovic, Rafa or Federer. No one had the completeness that he has at 19.”
He continued, “If you watch an Alcaraz match when he was 15, you see that he could do more or less all the things he does even now: play the drop shot, comes to the net, serves and volleys, similar to what happens now, so it is a path that is completing over time.”
Alcaraz himself consider Sinner as his biggest next-gen rival, but Vagnozzi thinks that his man is few steps behind the Spaniard.
“We must consider that he [Alcaraz] comes from more important experiences, he has won a Grand Slam, three Masters 1000, so even if he is younger he is probably more ready to play certain games,” said Vagnozzi.
He added, “Alcaraz is ahead at the moment, but if we get to play against him we can play it.”
Sinner and Alcaraz could be set for a mouthwatering sixth clash to add to their rivalry with both players favorite to win their Miami open quarter-final ties before entering a blockbuster semifinal.
Despite lauding Alcaraz for being ahead of his player, Vagnozzi believes Sinner’s best has yet to come: “Jannik has been very consistent lately – at the Australian Open, in Rotterdam and in Montpellier. In Indian Wells he reached the semi-finals and delivered a tight match against Alcaraz. That means we’re on the right track… But our main goal isn’t to reach the semi-finals. But to win one of those tournaments.”
Sinner’s best run at Floridian Masters came in 2021 where he lost to Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in the final. At Miami later today he will be up against Emil Ruusuvuori for a spot in the semifinal.