Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have replaced the Big Three, according to rival Daniil Medvedev

Following his US Open quarterfinal loss to Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev claims the Italian and Spanish foe Carlos Alcaraz have replaced Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic as the new powerhouses in tennis.

Medvedev fell to Sinner in the last eight in New York this week, his third loss to the World No.1 this year. Although the Russian still holds a 7-6 lead in head-to-head meetings against Sinner, six of them came early in Sinner's career.

The 2021 US Open champion has not won a Grand Slam title since lifting the trophy in New York three years ago. Medvedev's loss to Sinner was his second at a Grand Slam tournament this season, having fallen in the Australian Open final earlier this year. Although Medvedev won their five-set Wimbledon encounter during the summer, the former World No.1 gave some insight into how difficult it is to defeat Sinner and Alcaraz.

"There were always tough guys," revealed Medvedev. "Before it was Rafa, Roger, Novak. Now it is Carlos, Jannik, some other guys. You just have to practice hard, try to improve your game and try to beat them.
"Lately tough one for me, but at the same time, honestly today, comparing to some matches I played with him (Sinner) last year when he started to beat me, I felt like I was doing the right things.
“I just didn’t manage to execute them well. So I feel like the match itself, like, he was doing the right thing and I was doing the right thing. So I feel like we both come out of this match thinking, ‘okay, now I feel what he does.’
“Well, the only thing is that I lost and he won. So he will be feeling better. I like it. You know, to have big rivalries like this always pushes me to be better, and sometimes I lose, sometimes I win. I will try to be better next time, and that’s the only thing I can do."