“Physically, they are ten steps ahead”: Justine Henin explains why Alcaraz and Sinner are untouchable

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Justine Henin stated that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are a step ahead of the rest of the Tour, as they prepare for their sixth final against each other this season. "There are them, and then everyone else," the Belgian tennis player affirmed.

The World No. 1 and No. 2 will contest the ATP Finals title, after having decided the last three Grand Slam tournaments between them. The dominance of Alcaraz and Sinner has been the trend over the last couple of seasons. The Spaniard and the Italian have broken Novak Djokovic's hegemony from previous years and have divided the last eight majors played (in 2024 and 2025), with four titles for each. This Sunday, they will face each other for the first time in the ATP Finals.

"We have a Top 10 that has been shaken up," Justine Henin said in a conversation with Eurosport. "With players who have dropped out after having given it all in recent years: Rublev, Medvedev, Ruud... Tsitsipas has been there for a while. Some are rising, others are making a comeback, but we've seen the shortcomings of Auger-Aliassime, it's hard to imagine De Minaur going much further, so...".

While Alcaraz arrives after securing the year-end No. 1 ranking, he will face a Sinner who is practically unbeatable on indoor hardcourts, having won 30 consecutive matches on the surface (39 out of the last 40), and is going for the title defense in Turin—seeking to do it for the second straight year undefeated.

The four-time Roland Garros champion anticipates a new final this 2025 between Sinner and Alcaraz. With five episodes this year, the Spaniard prevailed in four of the five duels—the only exception being Wimbledon. "We can try to rewrite history all we want, that is the reality," insists Justine Henin. "There are them, and then there is everyone else. So, yes, of course, we expect to see them in the final. I have seen great things this week from other players, but not when they face Sinner or Alcaraz. Then there is no excitement. It is as simple as that."

The former tennis player, who retired in 2011, considered that part of the success of both players is due to the fact that they are physically superior to the rest of the Tour. "For people, physical condition often refers to the ability to endure very long matches,” Henin commented. “But no, it's not just that. It's also what they impose, in terms of duration, of course, but also in terms of intensity, speed of movement, and quickness of execution. Their vision and reactivity pose a constant problem."

The two-time WTA Finals champion (2006, 2007) gave Alcaraz's match against Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semifinals as an example, where one of his strengths was the parallel backhands that constantly surprised the Canadian. "When he decides to accelerate, when he attacks their backhand, it unbalances them, even on the other side," the four-time Roland Garros champion adds. "The phenomenal thing about Alcaraz is his footwork.”

“He must have trained proprioception a lot, because his footwork has a reactivity that allows him to start faster than anyone,” she added regarding the six-time major champion. “And Sinner is not far behind in that aspect either. So, if we take into account the air game (volleying/overhead shots) and the speed, we arrive at this enormous difference. Physically, they are ten steps ahead of the others."

This Sunday, Sinner and Alcaraz will have the 16th episode of their rivalry, with Alcaraz dominating 10-5—winning 7 of their last 8 encounters. While Alcaraz seeks his first ATP Finals title—one of the major titles he is missing—Sinner is looking to become the fourth player this century to defend the ATP Finals title, after Lleyton Hewitt, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic.