Carlos can play at a level that sometimes Jannik probably cannot reach," Nadal discusses the differences between Sinner and Alcaraz
Rafael Nadal, who retired in November 2024, gave an interview to The New York Times published this Friday ahead of the US Open semifinals.
The Majorcan, a 14-time Roland Garros champion, shared his thoughts on the rivalry between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz and the differences in their playing styles:
"Jannik imposes a very difficult pace to keep up with on his forehand. He is very quick to take the ball early and transitions rapidly from defense to offense. […] Carlos is more magical, more unpredictable; he can play at a level that sometimes Jannik probably cannot reach. But at the same time, he makes more mistakes.
He can play very well, or less well—it's about finding a balance. Carlos has all the shots. Sometimes he can make errors, but it's more impressive to watch because, in the end, it's more unexpected and unpredictable. […]
From my point of view, Carlos can improve his tactical approach to matches. Sometimes it feels like he plays only to hit big shots, but he doesn't really need to.
