French Open: Andre Agassi compares Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz 'weapon' to Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal
Published 01/06/2025 at 11:30 GMT+1
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have already won multiple Grand Slam titles in their blossoming careers. And with both players going for glory in the French Open at Roland-Garros - which is live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - tennis great Andre Agassi has been taking a closer look at the pair and what has taken them to a level above their rivals in the men's game.
Highlights: Sinner finds frightening form in thrashing Lehecka
Video credit: TNT Sports
Tennis great Andre Agassi has hailed Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, insisting it is their speed and skillsets that have taken them away from the pack in the men's game.
Italy's Sinner, 23, has won the Australian Open title in the last two years and is also the current US Open champion. Spaniard Alcaraz, 22, has already won four Grand Slam crowns and is defending his French Open and Wimbledon titles this summer.
Both players will hope to go all the way in the French Open at Roland-Garros - which is live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - and Agassi is clearly a big fan of the pair.
"Speed is such a weapon in any sport, probably none more than tennis," Agassi told TNT Sports.
"The geometry of how speed and skillsets work together to allow a player to make somebody feel really uncomfortable, even when you're in control of a point, I think was mastered by Novak [Djokovic], Roger [Federer], Rafa [Nadal] and now we're seeing it with Sinner and with Alcaraz.
"When I look at Alcaraz and Sinner as the two that have sort of pulled away from the pack, I see advantage Sinner on any surface that is firm underneath. I see Alcaraz having a slight advantage under any surface that I would call slippery.
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"When you look at Alcaraz, he is crazy fast defensively. This is a guy that when you watch him move on a hard court, you'd put him top three in the world in movement, you'd put him, Tommy Paul and [Alex] De Minaur.
"Then you watch the same three run on clay, a slippery surface, you realise the fastest guy's movement diminishes five per cent, and Alcaraz only diminishes like one or two per cent. He trusts his power in his legs and his second step so much.
"From incredibly defensive positions, he can actually still hurt you, which means you have to have your guard up at all times. When you get guys that have great speed, great athleticism and then great skillsets, that's the kind of speed that really hurts."
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Highlights: Alcaraz recovers to beat Dzumhur in four sets
Video credit: TNT Sports
Alcaraz will take on American Ben Shelton in the last 16 on Sunday at Roland-Garros.
Sinner plays Andrey Rublev in his fourth-round match on Monday. And Agassi has spoken about the pure power Sinner has in his game.
"When you have a player like Sinner that can absolutely bludgeon the ball off both wings, he will never lose to somebody that doesn't have the ability to at least hold their ground in the backhand corner," Agassi said.
"He can hit the ball so emphatically to your backhand corner that creates such a vacuum to your forehand corner, that both sides of the court becomes Jannik Sinner hitting the ball into the Grand Canyon - can't miss it.
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Alcaraz (left) and Sinner have risen to the top of the men's game
Image credit: AFP
"Every time I played someone who couldn't hurt me off the backhand, the court got twice as large. That's what it's like against Sinner.
"When I look at a Sinner and Alcaraz, I see two guys that play the game certainly differently. Sinner from corners - you think you're in control of a point and you're neutral. You've got Alcaraz who can make magic happen from every square centimetre on a tennis court.
"I think the storyline for the French Open is wide open; I'm excited to watch it unfold."
Stream the 2025 French Open live and on-demand on discovery+
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