Mats Wilander calls Carlos Alcaraz the true No. 1 despite ATP rankings

Mats Wilander stated that Carlos Alcaraz is superior to Jannik Sinner and is the true No. 1 in the ATP rankings. The former Swedish tennis player argued that the Spaniard has more and better tools that give him better chances in Grand Slam tournaments.

Alcaraz won his first Roland Garros title – his third Grand Slam – on Sunday after defeating Alexander Zverev in the final. Two days earlier, he faced Sinner, emerging victorious in a five-set battle: 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Despite the semifinal loss at the French Open, Jannik Sinner had already secured his position as the new world No. 1 after Novak Djokovic announced his withdrawal from the tournament in the quarterfinals. The Serbian was defending points from his 2023 title, and his early exit ensured that Sinner would become the first Italian to reach the top of the rankings.

In an interview with L’Equipe, 7-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander discussed the rivalry between Sinner and Alcaraz and their recent achievements following Roland Garros. The former Swedish player remarked that rankings are ‘just data’ and chose Alcaraz as the best tennis player in the world: "Alcaraz is only 21 years old and has shown that he doesn't need to play his best tennis to win; it's the mark of the greatest,” Wilander said.

“His chances of winning other Slams are very high, not because of his shots but because of his brain and his courage. He is incredible. He controls the exchanges, and it seems that the match always depends on him,” the former world No. 1 added.

“He has an immense arsenal, and I'm sure, after the Big 3, he is a real godsend for our sport. Sinner the new No. 1? Being number 1 is just a matter of computers; it's just data. People will always prefer live tennis over a machine," he concluded.

The rivalry between them is currently led by Alcaraz, who is ahead 5-4, including the most recent victory at Roland Garros. The Spaniard has fourteen career titles, including two this year, won at Indian Wells and Roland Garros. On the other hand, the Italian has 13 career titles, three of which he won this year (Australian Open, Rotterdam Open, and Miami Open).