“It’s a minor blip”: Greg Rusedski dismisses Jannik Sinner slump talk amid Alcaraz pressure

Greg Rusedski has rejected suggestions that Jannik Sinner’s recent defeats mark a structural shift at the top of men’s tennis. The former US Open finalist described the Italian’s dip as “a minor blip,” urging perspective after consecutive losses. Sinner, who established himself as world No. 1 last season through sustained consistency, has faced renewed scrutiny following defeats to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open and then to Jakub Mensik.

The Australian Open loss has framed much of the debate. Sinner entered Melbourne as a two-time defending champion and was attempting to reinforce his position at a tournament long dominated by Djokovic. Rather than portraying the defeat as evidence of decline, Rusedski pointed toward the statistical margins and match dynamics that defined the outcome.

“Statistically, Sinner won almost every category in that match against Djokovic except the final point,” Rusedski said in his podcast "Off Court", emphasising how narrow the contest was. “Novak came up with an incredible performance to find a way to win that match. On paper, it didn’t look like it was going to happen.”

The subsequent defeat to Mensik at the Qatar Open intensified discussion around depth on tour and whether the chasing pack is closing the gap. Rusedski, however, cautioned against drawing sweeping conclusions from early-season results, arguing that major tournaments remain the appropriate benchmark for evaluating a world No. 1.

Rusedski’s broader message centred on maintaining proportional analysis. He acknowledged that increased competition at the top is visible but resisted framing it as regression for Sinner. In his view, fluctuations are inevitable across a long season, particularly when margins between elite players are minimal.

“In my opinion, it’s a minor blip,” he said, reiterating that the losses do not alter his expectations at the biggest events. He added, “You’ve got to take it with a pinch of salt. I’m not worried about Sinner at the majors.”

Rusedski also referenced tactical evolution within Sinner’s game, noting that experimentation and refinement can temporarily affect results. “We’re seeing more variety in his game, and we’ve got to give respect to the rest of the tour — they’re starting to lift their games,” he said, before summarising the competitive landscape succinctly: “I think the pack might be getting a little closer.”

While Sinner’s results have prompted external reaction, Rusedski also highlighted Carlos Alcaraz’s recent development, focusing on observable technical adjustments rather than broad comparisons. The Spaniard’s serve mechanics, in particular, drew attention as a measurable area of refinement.

“It has been phenomenal with that serve,” Rusedski said. “I like the service motion, the way the wrist is a little bit looser. I like the way he’s taking ownership.” His remarks pointed to structural improvement rather than stylistic overhaul.

Beyond technique, Rusedski referenced Alcaraz’s long-term psychological framework as part of his progression. “I saw an interview where he talked about working with a sports psychologist for seven years,” he noted, adding that the Spaniard “is just growing as a man.”

Emma Raducanu’s sponsorship transition from Nike to Uniqlo formed the third strand of Rusedski’s analysis. Five years after her US Open title, Raducanu remains commercially prominent despite ranking fluctuations and physical interruptions in recent seasons. Rusedski approached the subject from a business perspective rather than a purely competitive one.

“The Uniqlo deal probably makes a lot of sense for them,” he said. “They look for brand ambassadors — they look at Instagram followers, TikTok, all of those things. Contracts are not always based on your tennis ranking, they’re also based on your followers. They’re looking at it from a business point of view.”

“They’re taking a punt that she gets back in the top 10, starts competing for slams again and wins one — that would be the ultimate,” Rusedski added, concluding that “knowing them, they’ve done their numbers. I think it’s a great partnership. Fingers crossed she gets healthy and gets the tennis together. I think it’s worth the punt.”