"Sinner has a better chance than Alcaraz": Italian great Adriano Panatta on potential Calendar Grand Slam in future
ATPTuesday, 18 November 2025 at 14:01
Italian great Adriano Panatta has made a bold claim when it comes to the future of the Calendar Grand Slam and the race between the top names for the honour between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Former World No.4 Panatta of course backed his compatriot Sinner to achieve it and set out his stall as to why it is the case. He spoke to Tuttosport and said that he has a better chance. In particular he zoomed in on the fact that he is more consistent in his view and performs well on all surfaces.
He also pointed to the fact that clay was seen as his most difficult surface to master but he still had three match points against Alcaraz with the Spaniard seen as the top hope to dominate the surface.
But he also pointed to keeping Darren Cahill on his team as being important towards that with the legendary coach staying around after saying he was going to retire.
Simone Vagnozzi who is other coach with Cahill has been majorly credited but he was going to take sole charge next year until he was asked to stick around.
"I think Sinner has a better chance of achieving it one day than Alcaraz," said Panetta for Tuttosport.
Jannik is more consistent, more solid and performs well on all surfaces. It was always said that clay was more difficult for him, but we saw what he did at Roland Garros with three match points...
I am convinced that Sinner is capable of it. Keeping Cahill on the team is precisely for this reason. Jannik can do it, I am convinced of it. Like every player, he must constantly improve.
And he has already proven it through his work: his serve has become much more consistent. He can improve a lot at the net because it is more difficult for him to hit low balls. He could use more precise and controlled shots there. He can also gain in physical power.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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