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Jannik Sinner Raises Eyebrows by Claiming He is Mentally Stronger Than Carlos Alcaraz

Advait Jajodia
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Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Jannik Sinner of Italy of Italy after their match on day 13 of Roland Garros at Stade Roland Garros.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are touted to be the next faces of the ATP once Novak Djokovic ultimately retires. While the two prodigies have witnessed almost equal success in their young careers, both acknowledge that they have polar opposite attributes.

It is easy to differentiate the tangible skills between the two players. Alcaraz plays the game at a rapid pace and often charges at the net while pulling off several drop shots. Whereas Sinner thrives when indulging in longer rallies, primarily when placed at the baseline.

Reflecting on their contrasting intangibles, the Italian youngster claimed that he was mentally stronger than the four-time Grand Slam winner.

“Alcaraz and I are two very different players. I keep the pace very high, I’m mentally strong. He is physically strong,” Sinner claimed.

Fans didn’t appreciate this take, believing that the 23-year-old was simply wrong. They didn’t show any mercy when attacking Sinner for his personal opinion.

Differentiating mental strength between any two players is a difficult task. However, the San Candido native has recently demonstrated qualities that suggest he may be mentally tougher than Alcaraz.

Has Sinner been mentally stronger than Alcaraz in the recent past?

Carlos Alcaraz has a fiery demeanor on the court. He plays the game with a certain level of flashiness that also gets the crowd and himself amped up. But there have also been instances where the Spaniard has failed to keep his cool. During the Cincinnati Masters 2024, the 21-year-old attracted negative publicity for smashing his racket following an opening-round loss against Gael Monfils.

On the other hand, Sinner hasn’t had any major on-court outbursts that involve smashing rackets, expressing frustration at his team, or having any altercations with opponents or umpires in the recent past.

Sinner has also spent a significant portion of the season dealing with constant criticism from the media and fans regarding the doping incident. It is not easy to ignore all the harsh criticism and still perform exceptionally well. Some fans and pundits have accused him of intentionally consuming banned substances and suggested that he receive a multi-year suspension for this act.

The World No.1 has not responded to any such naysayer. His reaction to the outburst? Winning the US Open, the Shanghai Masters, and finishing the China Open as the runner-up. That should silence some of his critics.

Post Edited By:Karthik Raman

About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia

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Advait Jajodia, an NBA and Tennis journalist for The SportsRush, has had a passion for both sports for over a decade. His admiration for Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Rafael Nadal pushed him to gain a profound understanding of the sports. With a background as a multi-sport athlete, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood and the court to offer insightful analysis. Over three years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 22-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 4,450+ articles.

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