Cahill: How Sinner & Alcaraz have driven each other forward

One of the hallmarks of a great rivalry is the way one player responds to the other’s success.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are no different, according to Darren Cahill. On Sunday, Sinner and Alcaraz will meet in a Grand Slam championship match for the first time at Roland Garros. For Cahill, who has coached Sinner since 2022, the two players have, at different times, been motivated by a desire to keep up with the other.

“I know for a fact that with Carlos breaking through earlier than Jannik did, it pushed Jannik to be more professional and to address his physicality,” Cahill told TNT Sports. “He’s spent the past three years dedicating all those weeks off to working on his body and his physique, to make sure he can last five sets in Grand Slams, so he can have the success he’s having now.

“That’s partly because of Carlos, for sure, and I think also Jannik being out of the game for the past four or five months has pushed Carlos to find ways to become better.”

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Before Sinner, Cahill also coached former World No. 1s Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt and Simona Halep. The Australian is more than familiar with the dynamics of top rivalries, although he was quick to point out some differences between the Sinner-Alcaraz relationship and some of those from past eras.

“I don’t know that Andre and Pete [Sampras] liked each other too much back in the day,” recalled Cahill. “I don’t think the [Jim] Courier, [Michael] Chang, Agassi, Sampras era [involved] going out to dinner [together] too much. A little more animosity back then, but times were different back then as well.

“Now Carlos and Jannik aren’t going out to dinner together either, but they are mates. They’re in the locker room, they’re talking. I’m part of some of their conversations. I won’t repeat what they are because most of it focuses around what 23-year-olds and 21-year-olds talk about, but they have fun, and they enjoy each other’s company.”

The man Sinner defeated in Friday’s semi-finals, former World No. 1 and record 24-time major titlist Novak Djokovic, was also asked for his thoughts on two of his more recent rivals.

“They're definitely great for tennis, both of them. I think their rivalry is something that our sport needs, no doubt,” said Djokovic after his straight-sets semi-final defeat to Sinner on Friday night in Paris. “The way they are playing and the way they are approaching tennis life, I think they are going to have very successful careers in the next years. I'm sure that we're going to see them lifting the big trophies quite often.”

While acknowledging his excitement at taking on Alcaraz in a Grand Slam final for the first time, Sinner was reluctant to be drawn on any comparisons with the ‘Big Four’ of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray.

“Oh, it takes time. It takes time to compare us with the Big Three or Big Four," said the Italian, who is chasing his third consecutive major title. "I think only time can tell to be honest. For sure, from my point of view, [Carlos] is a player who makes me a better player. He pushes me to the limit. We try to understand where we have to improve for the next times I play against him.

“I believe that tennis or every sport needs rivalries. This could be potentially one of these, but there are amazing players coming up. There can be so many different and other players join, or one drops. You never know.”