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Alcaraz v Sinner: "Their quality is just phenomenal"

  • Matt Trollope

For the second straight major tournament, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will do battle on centre stage.

The Spaniard and the Italian will battle for a place in the US Open semifinals, which would mark a career-best Grand Slam result for the winner.

World No.13 Sinner, 21, holds the recent edge in the series, winning their first Grand Slam match on Wimbledon’s Centre Court two months ago, as well as their ATP final in Umag in August.

Fourth-ranked Alcaraz, 19, won their first meeting at a Challenger event in 2019, and their first tour-level meeting at the Paris Masters in 2021.

With the head-to-head series locked at 2-2 and a career-best major result on the line, their quarterfinal showdown on Wednesday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium promises plenty.

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Australian tennis champion Todd Woodbridge is one of many thrilled to watch the latest installment of this rivalry unfold. 

"Alcaraz and Sinner are the two best (players of the younger brigade). Their quality is just phenomenal,” Woodbridge told ausopen.com.

"What stands out from those particular two is that, when we talk about practising the way you play matches, and practising with intent, well, they are bringing that daily. 

“I thought we would struggle to see the quality of tennis in back-ends of tournaments, like (what we saw with) the Nadal-Federer matches, the Djokovic-Federer matches and all of those incredible finals we've seen.

“But what Alcaraz and Sinner are producing in their practices is an indication of what we're going to see, which is the same quality of tennis. 

“I didn't think we were going to have that in this generation. But they're showing that there is that possibility.”

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In chatting to ausopen.com last month to preview the US Open, Woodbridge’s comments have taken on a prophetic quality. 

"It is the most wide-open US Open, and Grand Slam, that we've had in 15 years,” he said, about a tournament at which none of its eventual men’s quarterfinalists had ever won a major.

“It's going to have so many different stories, come the beginning of week two, and potential champions. 

“As we always say, the draw will be a big indicator of who can go through. But I would love to see an Alcaraz or a Sinner come through.

“It would just be the right time to have a young player light it up, who isn't a flash in the pan, we know their quality, we know they're close (to something big). 

“And for me, I think that would be one of the best stories if it were to happen.”

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Woodbridge is getting his wish.

And not only will we get a chance to enjoy the latest episode in the Alcaraz-Sinner series, but the winner will take another step closer to that ultimate breakthrough.