“Today, he has become a player who is practically unstoppable,” that’s what Rafael Nadal‘s uncle Toni said about Jannik Sinner when he won his second career grand slam at the US Open. And why not? The way the Italian is playing at the moment, there seems to be no stopping. With the era of the Big 3 now coming to an end, it is him and Carlos Alcaraz who are standing shoulder to shoulder and fighting for the number 1 spot in the rankings.

With his US Open triumph, Sinner confirmed that he would end the year as the number 1 player in the ATP rankings. However, when it comes to picking one between Sinner and Alcaraz, Toni Nadal seems to be tilting a little bit towards Alcaraz. In his latest piece for the El Pais, he talked about both players and what makes them better than the rest.

Talking about Alcaraz, Toni made it clear that he admires his game the most. “If I may go back to Alcaraz since he is the one we care about, I must say that I still enjoy his game more,” he said. Carlos Alcaraz’s drop shots and his insane forehand are well-appreciated around the circuit. But, Toni also made a concerning statement for Alcaraz. While he likes his game, the developments that Jannik Sinner is going through might make things a bit difficult for the Spaniard.

“I like him even more, but also admit and fear that the notorious improvement of the current leader, especially at a mental level, will make things really difficult for him,” Toni added. After the US Open, things are not looking that good for Alcaraz. He is still two grand slams ahead of Sinner, but he is a fair bit behind the Italian in the ATP rankings.

Sitting at the top of the rankings is Sinner with 11,180 points, while Alcaraz sits at the third spot with 6,690 points to his name. Toni Nadal, despite clearly stating that he admires Alcaraz’s game more, still hailed Sinner’s mindset that allowed him to conquer Flushing Meadows, despite all the backlash against him after the doping saga.

Toni Nadal was surprised by Jannik Sinner’s resilience at the US Open

At the start of the US Open, all eyes were on Carlos Alcaraz as he was expected to repeat his 2022 heroics. Title triumphs at Wimbledon and the French Open and a silver medal at the Olympics had skyrocketed his confidence and it was widely believed that he would carry the momentum to Flushing Meadows. However, the Spaniard could not live up to the expectations and stumbled in the second round against Botic Van de Zandschulp. Following Alcaraz’s exit, all eyes turned to Jannik Sinner and the Italian didn’t let his fans down.

Toni Nadal hailed the World No. 1 for his resilience amidst the massive criticism that came his way. “In the week before the start of the competition, we were wondering how the incessant controversy generated by his possible double doping could affect him, after the final and his magnificent performance, the Italian has shown once again that he not only has one of the best games on the circuit but also has the temperament to face really complicated situations. Surely the fact that he has a clear conscience has helped him to cope,” Toni said.

Jannik Sinner is the no. 1 player in the world now and is at the top of his game, but there is still a long way to go for both him and Alcaraz. With both the players in their early 20s, it will be interesting to see who out of these two finishes with more silverware. What do you think?