Sincaraz — the word reverberated around the tennis world in 2025.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the world No.1 and 2, respectively, dominated the circuit to such an extent that hardly any important tournament went by without their rivalry being in focus.

They turned men’s tennis into their personal duel. They won all four grand slams and also battled for supremacy at the prestigious ATP Finals. In fact, they played each other in the finals of the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. Almost no major title was won by anyone outside this pair.

Both youngsters have a bagful each of titles, but their rivalry is not just about that. It’s about the consistency and quality they bring to the table.

Alcaraz has won 24 ATP Tour singles titles, including
six majors: two each at the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

Sinner, too, has won 24 ATP Tour-level singles titles, including four majors: two at the Australian Open, one at Wimbledon and one at the US Open.

The Spaniard clinched the French Open in an epic five-set classic in June, and followed it up with victory at the US Open final. The Italian Sinner tamed Alcaraz on the grass at Wimbledon and also lifted the ATP Finals trophy later in the year.

The duo juggled the No.1 ranking between them throughout the year, with Alcaraz
managing to stay on top at the year-end.

Their head-to-head rivalry shows Alcaraz leading 10-6, but the matches were gripping enough to underscore how closely matched they are.

No other man — even Novak Djokovic — came close to challenging their duopoly in 2025, making their rivalry the defining story of the year.

Their encounters aren’t merely frequent — they are compelling. The 2025 French Open final — a nearly six-hour marathon that Alcaraz edged from the brink of defeat — was widely hailed as one of the greatest matches in the sport.

The way the duo have tightened their grip on men’s tennis, naturally they are being compared to Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic.

The Big Three had been the dominating force for decades, their longevity being their USP. Will 22-year-old Alcaraz and Sinner, two years his senior, match up to their predecessors who dominated world tennis well into their 30s?

While that is a question only the future can answer, what is apparent is that Alcaraz and Sinner are on a trajectory that echoes that dominance, with multiple Slams and repeated finals battles.

Unlike the Big Three — three players trading the No. 1 spot and multiple Slams — Sinner and Alcaraz are only two. While many see the potential for an “Alcaraz–Sinner era,” analysts and players alike caution that it’s not yet on the same long-term scale as that of the Big Three.

Some critics, however, say the repeated finals between the same two players could make the tour slightly predictable, especially when other contenders struggle to reach the final rounds. It might feel like a two-player league at the top.

To put things in perspective, a look at the points earned by the top stars on the ATP rankings chart in 2025 tells a rather telling story. Alcaraz with 12,050 points and Sinner with 11,500 are miles ahead of Alexander Zverev (third with 5,160). Even Djokovic, the last man standing from the Big Three era, is at fourth spot with 4830 points.

On the other hand, however, is the argument about the quality that they bring to the table, the dramatic narratives that spin around their matches making them special. The duo have shown that they are comfortable on every surface and can turn a match around its head within a matter of a few points.

With their contrasting styles — Alcaraz being the more flamboyant — fans stay engaged.

Their battles have produced classic grand slam title matches, pushing the other to his limit. That, in a nutshell, can never really be boring.

In 2025, Alcaraz and Sinner didn’t just win tournaments — they consolidated the beginning of an era, setting a stage where the biggest trophies in men’s tennis rarely left their sphere.

Whether they will last as long as the Big Three, winning and dominating the sport, remains to be seen.

But as it stands, now, their rivalry is on centre stage.

And as for fans, the question isn’t just about who is better, it’s about how many unforgettable matches this rivalry will produce in the years to come.