Casper Ruud reveals what Alcaraz and Sinner do better than Federer ever did
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“Their [Sinner and Alcaraz] start to their career has been very impressive, but it’s difficult to compare eras. But I do believe the level of tennis is much higher now,” Ruud said in an interview with the Daily Mail.
“What Alcaraz did was already pretty unique, even though Djokovic wasn’t there in Australia, he still had to beat Novak at Roland Garros, so it doesn’t matter what way you twist and turn it.
Ruud thinks Sinner deserves more credit for his success on hard courts, given how many matches he has won on the surface.
Casper Ruud draws parallels between the Big Three and today’s stars
Speaking to Tennis Magazin, Ruud was asked about how today’s game compares to previous eras, given his unique perspective.
He spoke with clear respect for what Djokovic, Federer and Nadal achieved but didn’t hesitate to back Sinner and Alcaraz as worthy of being mentioned alongside them.
Ruud explained: “The Big Three had an almost intimidating presence because of their history. Carlos and Jannik bring something different: incredible intensity, speed and courage.
“The game has evolved and you have to be prepared for a very physical and fast style. You can discuss all you want about the different times, but for me Sinner and Alcaraz hit the ball faster than the Big Three.”
Mark Petchey also weighed in recently, comparing today’s top 20 players to those from the Big Three era.
Patrick Mouratoglou weighs in with his own take
Ruud’s remarks come at an interesting moment, especially with Patrick Mouratoglou having recently made headlines for his own comments about the Big Three.
After Djokovic ended a five-match losing streak to Sinner by beating him at the Australian Open, Mouratoglou used the occasion to highlight what he believes separates Sinner from the rest.
He said: “For those who think that Djokovic beating Sinner in the semi-final of the Australian Open means that the Big Three (Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer) is playing better tennis than Alcaraz and Sinner — this is a very short view.
“Novak is not a better tennis player than Sinner, but he’s the biggest competitor in history and he was better than Jannik Sinner on that match.”
The comments didn’t go down well with everyone. Both Nadal and Andy Murray were among those who found them laughable, reacting publicly with amusement.
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