"They were waiting for Nadal & Federer to retire" - Jimmy Connors gets real about Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner's meteoric rise to the top

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner's rivalry has been a hot topic in the tennis world since the 2025 US Open final, and now Jimmy Connors has jumped on the bandwagon. The eight-time Major winner believed that, unlike the generation before, the Spaniard and the Italian have had a steep improvement curve ever since turning pro.

Alcaraz and Sinner faced off in a Major final for the third consecutive tournament at the 2025 US Open on Sunday, September 7. The 22-year-old came away the victor thanks to one of his career's best performances, winning 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in two hours and 44 minutes to secure his sixth Grand Slam title.

Jimmy Connors and his son Brett covered the fallout from the men's singles final in New York on their "Advantage Connors" podcast earlier this week. The 73-year-old claimed that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are playing at such extraordinary levels in 2025 that they would've braved the challenge of facing all-time greats like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Jimmy Connors said during the latest episode of the Advantage Connors podcast:

"What I like is that the two guys, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, they know that it's their time. And even if Nadal and Federer were still around too, they'd want to say, 'Move over, boys,' you know? And I like that. I mean, they've raised their game to that level. The other guys out there playing, they didn't do that.

"They were kind of waiting around for them to retire or something to happen and say, 'Oh well, okay, it's my turn now.' Maybe it's not. But these two guys are head and shoulders [above everybody else] now, and it's obvious. And they play like that every time they go out there."

During the interaction, Connors also claimed that the tennis community had come to expect an Alcaraz-Sinner match-up in the final of every big tournament, and for good reason.

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"You're looking for that final, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz" - Jimmy Connors

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner pose during US Open trophy ceremony | Image Source: Getty

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have been the two winningest players on the ATP Tour this year. While the Spaniard has compiled a 61-7 win/loss record thus far and nabbed seven titles, the Italian started the season on a 12-match winning streak and held the World No. 1 position until as early as this week.

Sinner and Alcaraz have met in the title match of a big tournament five times in 2025. Against that background, Jimmy Connors claimed that, as a tennis fan, he always roots for a prospective clash between the two youngsters, since it makes for great viewing.

"That's not to say they are going to win every time they walk on court. If they do, man, oh man! That would be incredible," Connors said, via the aforementioned source. "When it comes down to the big matches and big tournaments, they're in different parts of the draw, and this is what you're looking for. You're looking for that final, Sinner and Alcaraz."

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will now be embroiled in a tussle for the year-end World No. 1 position with the season reaching its final phase - the indoor hardcourt swing. Currently, the 22-year-old is seated at the top with 11,540 ATP ranking points, which is 760 points more than his older rival.