As the ATP season enters its cold, unforgiving stretch, the energy changes. Stadiums feel quieter, the roar of summer fades, and only the most hardened competitors thrive under winter’s pressure. This year in this later phase, it’s Jannik Sinner who seems built for the grind—while Carlos Alcaraz, tennis’ human lightning bolt, looks for that lost jolt. But for American legend Andy Roddick, the picture isn’t as simple as it seems.

Although Alcaraz has won 8 titles this season, he won only one after the US Open. There have been many such instances where we’ve seen him struggling a bit and complaining about hectic tennis schedules in recent times. His early exit from the Paris Masters ‌at the hands of number 27, Cameron Norrie, was a big shock to the tennis world. But on the other side, ever since losing the US Open final against Alcaraz, Sinner has been in red-hot form. He won titles at the China Open, Vienna Open, and Paris Masters.

At the Paris Masters, Jannik Sinner became the first player to win a trophy at this level without dropping a set since Carlos Alcaraz’s heroics at the 2023 Indian Wells. With that, he also extended his indoor winning streak to 26 matches. This impressive run helped him snatch the no. 1 ranking from Alcaraz, but unfortunately for Sinner, he’ll drop to number 2 yet again on November 10, when Alcaraz will return to the top. But nevertheless, Sinner has been quite exceptional recently and much better than Alcaraz. Speaking on these two superstars during a recent episode of his Served podcast, Andy Roddick highlighted how people are getting things a bit wrong with these two. He said, “As we talk about different personalities in tennis, I think you get exposure to the way that certain brains, minds, and brilliant players handle the end of the year a little bit differently.”

The American further added, “Carlos with the US Open and that all-time performance against Jannik. And this is judging Carlos against his own shadow, which has proven to be enormous, but at the end of the year [he] seems to kind of have a hard time finishing the year. He is a guy who relies on electricity from the crowd; he likes the atmosphere, he likes the show, he likes being an entertainer. Then you get to this part of the season where you are outside for four minutes of daylight every day. You are walking into the venue and it’s light, and you are walking out of the venue, and every place you are playing is dark at 4:15pm.” According to Roddick, these conditions, where they have to go in and get the job done and leave, suit Jannik Sinner's personality much better. While he feels Alcaraz needs to get inspired a little bit more.

However, having said that, the 2003 US Open champion also shared a very interesting observation, which most of the people have been missing out on while drawing a comparison between Alcaraz and Sinner’s performance‌ this season. Sinner has won three more titles than the Spaniard this season so far, and he looks much fresher than Carlitos. According to Roddick, “I don’t think it’s nothing, the fact that Carlos has admittedly said, ‘I am beat up, I am mentally exhausted, it’s a long season.’ Whereas you are not hearing that as much from Sinner. Then people are like, ‘There’s a big difference between the two.’ But I’m going, or one had three months off during the year!” Did Sinner’s three-month suspension due to the doping saga come as a blessing in disguise, then? Well, that’s debatable!

We must not forget that Alcaraz still has a 10-5 edge over the Italian in their H2H record, and guess what? In four of their five meetings this season, Alcaraz has gotten the better of Sinner.

If we sum this up, Jannik Sinner’s late-season fire isn’t simply superiority—it’s circumstance, recovery, and rhythm. Alcaraz’s fatigue isn’t weakness—it’s the cost of nonstop brilliance across a relentless calendar. For now, the Italian holds the late-season edge. But the duel between them isn’t a tale of decline and rise—it’s a rivalry shaped by timing, temperament, and the evolving demands of superstardom. 

With the world number one crown still up for grabs, surely we’re going to witness a lot of nail-biting moments featuring these two at the ATP Finals.

What do other tennis experts have to say about Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner's recent performances?

When the tennis season reaches its final stretch, champions often reveal their true colors. This year, Sinner’s late-season surge has set the tennis world buzzing. The Italian star has stormed into the closing months with lethal accuracy and unbreakable poise, forcing legends of the game to sit up and take notice. 

Talking about his incredible form after the US Open, especially during the ‘Nothing Major’ podcast on November 4, former pro John Isner said, “The guy is just virtually unbeatable indoors. When he is locked in, indoors, no conditions, no wind, no sun. He is good on anything, clearly. But when that ball is bouncing exactly where he knows it’s going to bounce indoors, it is goodnight, nurse.” Joining him in the discussion, Steve Johnson highlighted that Jannik Sinner has lost to only three people all season, and this is what he feels is quite “insane” as well as “crazy.”

Sinner defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime by 6-4, 7-6(4) in the Paris Masters. Speaking to L’Equipe, the Canadian’s coach, Frederic Fontang, heaped praise on Sinner, highlighting his improvement with the physical aspect of his game, which allows him to maintain pace while getting less tired. Talking about drawing a comparison of Sinner with other players like Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, he added, “Alcaraz has a varied game, is very offensive, and capable of doing lots of things. Sinner is consistent. What he does is very solid, at high speed without expending too much energy. He’s a ‘Djoko Plus.’ He serves better. His forehand is faster…”

For the last couple of years, both Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have ruled the tennis world like no other. But as per Italian legend Adriano Panatta, it’s time for the Spaniard to pull his socks up once again. In a recent interview with La Dominica Sportiva, he shared his thoughts about these two players after watching them play in the later phase of the 2025 season.

Panatta said, “He (Sinner) has become almost unbeatable now. Alcaraz could have a bad day and lose, but that never happens to Jannik in the first or second round. Either he loses in the final or he gets injured. So Carlos has to be careful: either he stays focused or he’ll never beat him again.”

But it won’t be a wise thing to write off the world number one… Champions stumble, champions reset, and champions rise again. Having said that, it’s needless to mention that the spotlight has recently shifted a bit towards the Italian. With the ATP Finals on the horizon, tennis fans can expect fireworks—because nothing fuels greatness like a rival breathing down your neck. Who in between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz do you think will finish the year as the world number one?

Written by

Sayantan Roy

Sayantan Roy is a seasoned tennis journalist at EssentiallySports. He brings a deep tactical understanding to his coverage, breaking down head-to-head records, match dynamics, and on-court strategies with precision. For more than two years, Sayantan has been a key member of the Live Events desk, delivering real-time insights and data-backed predictions for the platform’s Matchday Preview section. His analytical approach has sparked editorial debates and drawn recognition from respected tennis voices, including commentator and analyst Olly_Tennis. Combining his experience in writing with a passion for insightful sports journalism, Sayantan’s work serves as a trusted reference point for tennis fans around the world.

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Edited by

Shrabana Sengupta