Mats Wilander pinpoints why Jannik Sinner may be better 'role model' than 'rare talent' Carlos Alcaraz after Wimbledon triumph
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By Tom Cantoni
Updated 19/07/2025 at 13:47 GMT+1
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Mats Wilander has weighed in on the ongoing Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner debate after the Italian got revenge on his counterpart with a faultless display in the Wimbledon final. While admitting Alcaraz may be the more naturally talented, Wilander explains why Sinner - who has made the final of all three Grand Slams so far this year - could be a more relatable role model.
Wimbledon highlights: Sinner defeats Alcaraz in thrilling final to claim maiden title
Video credit: SNTV
It has been nearly two years since anyone other than Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner won a men’s Grand Slam title.
The world’s top two have dominated tennis in recent years, earmarking a true generational shift, all while producing some of the most epic matches the sport has ever seen.
Their enthralling showdowns at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon this year had fans on the edge of their seats, as the level of quality on display was compared to the ‘Big Three’ era of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Head-to-head, Alcaraz edges Sinner by eight wins to five in a total of 13 matches since their first encounter in 2021.
But with their own distinctive playing styles and individual qualities, opinions remain divided on who will ultimately reign supreme in the sport’s history books.
Mats Wilander, who won seven Grand Slam titles in the 1980s, has been giving his opinion on the rivalry.
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Kyrgios hails 'first of many Wimbledon titles' for Sinner
Video credit: TNT Sports
While admitting that the Spaniard may be the more natural talent, he believes his Italian competitor could serve as a more realistic role model.
Speaking to L’Equipe, Wilander said: "I’ve never seen anyone play tennis as aggressively as Sinner.
"It’s not that he hits everything that moves like a madman, it’s that he’s always looking to get the ball early.
"Some people hit it harder than him, but no one gets to the ball as quickly to play it on the rise, never waiting for it to come back down.
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"I think his tennis is five or ten years ahead of what I imagined the evolution of the game would be. A bit like when, in football, for the first time, there was quick one-touch passes: the speed of the game was turned upside down.
"He’s leading the way and will quickly serve as a role model, because not everyone can play tennis like Alcaraz. That requires extremely rare talent.
"On the other hand, everyone can try to play like Sinner, which doesn’t require exceptional talent in itself, but total dedication."
Having won back-to-back Wimbledon titles in 2023 and 2024, Alcaraz was denied a hat-trick in SW19 last week due to a flawless Centre Court display from Sinner.
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Highlights: Alcaraz overpowers Sinner in classic Roland-Garros final
Video credit: TNT Sports
Sinner’s second Grand Slam title of 2025 also served as revenge for the French Open, where the top two produced one of tennis’ most legendary battles. Five-and-a-half hours of scintillating action culminated in an eventual Alcaraz victory at Roland-Garros - as he came from two sets down to stage an unfathomable comeback.
But despite their tight encounters, Wilander believes Sinner currently has the edge and is gathering momentum at a faster pace than his rival.
"Jannik should have won at Roland Garros a month ago," he added. "He has improved more than Carlos over the last two years combined, which, consequently, also leaves the latter more room for improvement in the future, particularly in terms of choosing his shots better, sometimes.
"It’s more the emotional or the motivational part that you have someone who is young, who wins basically everything. You have to be ready, no, if you want to keep up."
Following their Wimbledon battles, Sinner and Alcaraz return to tour action this month at the National Bank Open - a Masters 1000 event in Toronto. After that, both players will gear up for the season’s final Grand Slam, the US Open.
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