2024 will likely see a continuation of Novak Djokovic's dominance, but Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will continue to push him as the two nearest challengers to the Serb, says Patrick Mouratoglou, with Sinner having the edge over the Spaniard.
Sinner had a superb end to the 2023 season, winning two 500-level tournaments, beating all three of the top-ranked players - including Djokovic twice in eleven days - and leading Italy to their first Davis Cup title in 47 years.
In the latest episode of The Eye of the Coach, Mouratoglou analyses Sinner's prospects in 2024, explaining why his Davis Cup triumph with Italy could be the catalyst for a hugely successful season.
KEY MOMENTS OF EYE OF THE COACH
0.00 – 2024 is still going to be the year of Novak.
0.06 – Sinner is ready to be No 2.
0.15 – It can be the year of Jannik.
0.30 – Alcaraz still a few steps ahead. But with Sinner's style of play, he can play better and stronger than Carlos in 2024.
1.00 – End to 2023 season gave Sinner the feeling that he is ready to win the biggest titles.
1.17 – Sinner's end to last season is reminiscent of Djokovic's lead-up to his incredible breakthrough in 2011.
1.35 – What Jannik did at Davis Cup could propel him to greater heights - just as it did for Djokovic after winning it with Serbia at the end of 2010.
1.54 – It can be the year of Jannik, despite Novak still having the edge.
2.00 – More variety in Sinner's game can lead him to No 2 in the world by the end of next year.
Sinner had a superb end to the 2023 season, winning two 500-level tournaments, beating all three of the top-ranked players - including Djokovic twice in eleven days - and leading Italy to their first Davis Cup title in 47 years.
In the latest episode of The Eye of the Coach, Mouratoglou analyses Sinner's prospects in 2024, explaining why his Davis Cup triumph with Italy could be the catalyst for a hugely successful season.
KEY MOMENTS OF EYE OF THE COACH
0.00 – 2024 is still going to be the year of Novak.
0.06 – Sinner is ready to be No 2.
0.15 – It can be the year of Jannik.
0.30 – Alcaraz still a few steps ahead. But with Sinner's style of play, he can play better and stronger than Carlos in 2024.
1.00 – End to 2023 season gave Sinner the feeling that he is ready to win the biggest titles.
1.17 – Sinner's end to last season is reminiscent of Djokovic's lead-up to his incredible breakthrough in 2011.
1.35 – What Jannik did at Davis Cup could propel him to greater heights - just as it did for Djokovic after winning it with Serbia at the end of 2010.
1.54 – It can be the year of Jannik, despite Novak still having the edge.
2.00 – More variety in Sinner's game can lead him to No 2 in the world by the end of next year.
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SportsTranscript
00:00 I think 2024 is going to still be the year of Novak,
00:02 but who between Yannick Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz
00:05 is going to be the number two, if there are some opportunities.
00:08 And I think Yannick is ready.
00:10 I think it can be the year of Yannick.
00:16 Of course, Carlos will be right behind him, but I think Yannick,
00:20 with what he's done at the end of 2023, will be 100%
00:24 ready to perform at the highest level.
00:25 This year is going to be more dangerous, much more dangerous
00:30 than in 2023.
00:31 It's true that Carlos is a few steps ahead compared to Yannick
00:34 because he won two Grand Slams.
00:36 He's been number one. Yannick, no.
00:38 Probably again, maybe on clay, Carlos will beat him.
00:41 But I think on other surfaces also with the style of play that Sinner has,
00:46 playing so fast, taking the ball so early, taking time away.
00:49 I see him playing better and stronger than Carlos next year.
00:53 You know, in this sport, it's so much about confidence.
00:56 It's so much about the feeling that you are able to achieve things.
01:01 And I think the last part of the season, 2023, gave Yannick
01:05 that feeling that he's ready to win those.
01:08 Of course, he didn't win the big match that he had to win
01:10 in the final of the Nitto finals, but he beat Novak two times.
01:13 He won the Davies Cup, and that's an incredible boost.
01:17 He reminds me of 2011 for Novak.
01:20 We had this discussion with Tony Roach at the Australian Open 2011.
01:24 We were discussing exactly the same topic.
01:25 Who's going to play well this year?
01:27 I don't remember who I said, but I didn't say Novak.
01:29 And he said, I think Djokovic is going to win.
01:31 He's going to be the one this year.
01:32 And I said, why you say that?
01:34 He said, because what he did at Davies Cup, winning for his country,
01:37 being the guy that brought all the points.
01:39 I think it's an incredible boost of confidence for the next year.
01:42 And 2011 was the year of Novak.
01:45 That's the year that he really won most of everything, beat Rafa
01:49 I don't know how many times, even on clay several times.
01:51 So that was his year.
01:53 And I think it can be the year of Yannick.
01:56 I think Novak still has an edge, but I think he can play incredible this year.
02:00 Now he's dropshotting much more.
02:02 He's coming to the net much more with efficiency.
02:04 So I think now he's ready to do
02:07 many more things and to adapt to a lot of more situations.
02:10 And I think that's one of the main reasons why Yannick can
02:13 be the number two at the end of the season.
02:17 [MUSIC]