Patrick Mouratoglou edges out Alcaraz in comparison with Sinner while stating who boasts the better serve

Debates and comparisons between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are always going to cause a stir. As they possibly brace for another meeting on court, respected tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou compared the players, with one of them coming out as a clear winner.

The Frenchman is as good to cite the difference in qualities in the duo as anyone. Most recognisable for coaching Serena Williams, Mouratoglou helped the American win 10 of her 23 Grand Slam from 2012-2022 in a hugely successful partnership. He has since gone on to coach the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas, Simona Halep, Holger Rune and most recently Naomi Osaka. With all this coaching knoweledge and experience, he used it to compare certain skills between Alcaraz and Sinner.

Maybe a surprise to some, he began by rating Alcaraz's serve above Sinner's. While the Italian bosses the stats in this key skill, Mouratoglou still cannot choose him over the world number one. "With his height, him opening the court incredibly well. He serves fast, unbelievable second serve and he can hit any spot," he stated on Instagram.

He found a loophole for movement, giving both players their praise. “Movement east-west – Carlos. North-south – Jannik." The lightning speed Alcaraz has to move around the court makes it almost impossible at times to finish him off. While Sinner is not as fast, he can cover a lot of ground in a short space of time and his height allows him to reach even the furthest away balls.

Next on the list was forehand, a speciality for both players who can leather a forehand past their opponents for fun. It was a tough decision, but Mouratoglou once again favoured Alcaraz. “Power, spin; can hit a winner from any place on the court." If based off power, Alcaraz has the advantage. The six-time Grand Slam winner once recorded a 113mph forehand.

It was a different story for the backhand. Sinner's backhand has been labelled as one of the best in tennis, with Mouratoglou not arguing against these claims. “I mean, crazy consistent. Masters the down-the-line incredibly well and finds the short cross also incredibly well."

Alcaraz clinched another point on the board for his net game, massively helped with him charging forward more often than his rival. “Carlos comes to the net so much more than Jannik, and he’s so efficient there," Mouratoglou said, who continued hyping the Spaniard by focusing on his drop shot. “He’s probably the world master by far," the 55-year-old acknowledged.

He ended by offering kudos to both players impeccable mentality but for different aspects. “Jannik for the quality of his focus, which is unbelievable. And Carlos for the fire that he has,” Mouratoglou concluded. Overall, Alcaraz comes out on top 6-3 in Mouratoglou's mind.

While Mouratoglou's opinions may cause fans to disagree, it is certain that when on the court Alcaraz has had the edge over his foe on numerous occasions. He leads the head-to-head record 11-7 against Sinner, although the Italian has had the last laugh heading to the ATP Finals.

This year they have only crossed paths in finals, testament to them being the number one and two ranked players throughout the year. Their two meetings on clay went the way of Alcaraz. After defeating Sinner on home soil in Rome, he clinched his second Roland Garros title in dramatic fashion, coming back from two sets and saving match points in the process of what is one of the most spectacular matches of tennis ever competed. Sinner would not wait long for his revenge, stealing Alcaraz's Wimbledon crown. Once more, Alcaraz got a brace of victories over the 24-year-old in quick succession. He first triumphed against an unwell Sinner in Cincinnati before beating him at Flushing Meadows to lift the trophy for the first time since 2022.

Their last meeting came in the Six Kings Slam where Sinner picked up a lucrative win. In 2025, Alcaraz leads 4-2. The pair could once more clash in the ATP Finals in Turin. While Sinner has secured qualification out of the Bjorn Borg Group, Alcaraz is just a whisker away from sealing his spot in the semi-finals. He will face Lorenzo Musetti today as the Jimmy Connors Group comes to a conclusion.