Jannik Sinner vs. Carlos Alcaraz: A look at their battle for big titles

Jannik Sinner claimed his second Australian Open title and third Grand Slam, bringing him closer to Carlos Alcaraz’s tally of four majors. When considering “Big Titles” — Grand Slams, ATP Finals, and Masters 1000 events — the differences are minimal in one of the most captivating rivalries of recent seasons.

The 21-year-old Spaniard made an early breakthrough on the Tour, securing his first major title at the 2022 US Open at just 19 and rising to world No. 1 after the tournament. Since then, Alcaraz has amassed four majors and a total of 16 professional titles, alongside a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Sinner nears Alcaraz in big titles showdown

While Alcaraz began to dominate the Tour, Sinner — two years older — was also making waves. As Alcaraz reached the No. 1 spot, Sinner climbed to world No. 10, his career-best ranking until 2022.

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Though his breakthrough took longer, Sinner had a definitive 2024 season, securing his first major title at the Australian Open, winning eight titles in total, and dethroning Novak Djokovic as world No. 1. Sinner has remained ahead of Alcaraz in the rankings since, with the two players splitting the four Grand Slam titles between them last year.

Alcaraz’s title breakdown includes 16 titles from 21 finals (76.2% win rate in finals). This includes four Grand Slam titles in as many finals, five Masters 1000 titles, five ATP 500s, and two ATP 250s. He also claimed a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, losing to Djokovic in the final. Additionally, Alcaraz won the 2021 Next Gen ATP Finals, although this does not count towards official records due to its unique format.

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On the other hand, Sinner has won 19 titles from 24 finals (79.1% win rate). After defeating Alexander Zverev on Sunday, Sinner now holds three Grand Slam titles, one ATP Finals title, four Masters 1000s, five ATP 500s, and six ATP 250s. He also won the 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals.

When focusing solely on “Big Titles,” Alcaraz still leads with nine to Sinner’s eight. The Italian has spent 34 weeks as world No. 1, while Alcaraz has accumulated 36 weeks, with no immediate chance of reclaiming the top spot from Sinner.

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