Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic put on quite the show in the Shanghai Masters final yesterday, but in the end, youth prevailed.
His unrelenting power and athleticism proved far too much for the legendary 37-year-old, who is still yet to taste an ATP title this year.
However, even with this continued underperformance, he remains a player capable of beating almost everyone on tour.
That is likely why so many stars flocked to Shanghai to watch this particular match.
Two of the most renowned names pictured up in the stands were actually sat beside one another, as Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz watched on.
The past and the future of the sport, what many would give to briefly listen in to their conversation about tennis.
Boris Becker reacted to seeing Alcaraz and Federer together in typical fashion, echoing that sentiment.
However, it’s interesting to see how these stars have evolved since 2022, when the Swiss maestro made some really interesting comments about the 21-year-old.
Speaking at the 2022 Laver Cup, hosted just after the superstar Spaniard had just won the US Open and his maiden Grand Slam title, Federer had kind words for him.
After all, he admitted that whilst it may seem sad when one generation ends, there is always another group ready and waiting to take their spot.
Alcaraz is the spearhead of just that, and has since gone on to amass another three Major titles.
At the time, Federer admitted: ‘It’s disappointing I was never able to play against him.
‘Of course I watched him closely at the US Open, what he did throughout the year and it’s been fantastic. I always said that there will always be new superstars within the game. He’s one of them. The game is bright.
‘I know sometimes people don’t tend to see that or think that. It was the same thing when Pete [Sampras] and Andre [Agassi] left, they thought ‘Well, what do we have here now?’ Guys who win Slams, there’s never the same winner.
‘They’ve got the same winner for so many years, Rafa, Novak, myself. Murray and Stan. For me, it was nice to see [him win the US Open] because that’s what I always thought.’
Related Topics
Rafael Nadal’s uncle and former coach Toni Nadal has named the Spaniard’s loss to Novak Djokovic in the 2012 Australian Open final the “worst defeat” o
It was probably inevitable. The venerable Wimbledon tennis tournament, one of four “Grand Slams” in tennis, will be replacing line judges at next year
Streaming ATP Antwerp live tennis 🎾 Richard Gasquet vs Tomas Martin Etcheve
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The WTA announced Monday that four singles players -- Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, Jasmine Paolini, and Jessica Pegu