"They are not at all at Federer's level" - Alcaraz and Sinner ranked below the 'Big Three' according to Safin

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are the two dominant forces in tennis in this current moment in time. However, they are still a way off the level prior generations of tennis players according to Marat Safin.

The Russian stated that the duo would not be among the best players in the world if they were competing alongside the 'Big Three.' That consisted of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic who is the only one still active.

Even the 24-time Grand Slam champion has not been able to cope with Alcaraz or Sinner, with the fact that he is not in his pomp anymore as shown at Wimbledon where Sinner defeated him once more.

The top two players have been the dominant force on the ATP Tour since 2024. They have won nine of the last 10 majors between them while constantly challenging for the biggest titles and winning them a lot of the time.

This year alone, Alcaraz took home the Australian Open title before Sinner took command by winning five consecutive Masters 1000 titles as the Spaniard evacuated to the sidelines with a wrist injury. As Sinner grows more dominant, Alcaraz will hope to get back on the court soon and continue this titanic rivalry.

For two decades, tennis was dominated by three players who swept up almost all of the accolades in this time period. Safin, who also played alongside the likes of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, were convinced that they were still a level above the talent that is showcased now.

"No, they are not at all at Federer's level," he said. "That's a whole different level. To reach Federer's level, they still need a lot of improvement.

"I don't want to belittle anyone. That's just my point of view. If Sinner and Alcaraz had played in the era of Nadal and Djokovic, or even in the early 2000s, they would not have been world number one or two. I don't think they would have gone that far. I think I would probably have lost to them, but I don't find them intimidating."

The two-time Grand Slam champion, who currently coaches fellow countryman Andrey Rublev, has watched these Alcaraz and Sinner play numerous times and was adamant that they were both extremely talented tennis players. "I don't know if they would have won as many Grand Slam titles in that era. I'm not sure. They are excellent players, extraordinary tennis players, and they have won many titles."

He then looked down the pecking order at the players who are trying to bridge the gap over. Alexander Zverev is currently the closest to doing this but has not had great fortune on court against either of the top two. Similar to Novak Djokovic who has not spent much time on court in recent time.

Aside from those two, the likes of Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alex de Minaur, Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, Flavio Cobolli and Daniil Medvedev are among the players who are being left in their dust as Alcaraz and Sinner extend their lead into the distance.

Looking even further down, Safin was critical in the lack of talent on the ATP Tour compared to prior generations. "Before, there were thirty or fifty players capable of playing extraordinary tennis," he commented. "Today, there are at most ten. They reach the semifinals or final without losing a single set, and I find that almost laughable.

"Before, there were grass specialists, clay specialists, and hard court specialists. There were so many players able to compete at the highest level depending on the surface. If you look at the late 1990s or early 2000s, you see an incredible number of very strong players."