Boris Becker has launched a stinging criticism of some of the biggest names in men’s tennis, accusing them of being “content” with quarter-final and semi-final runs while Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner sweep up the sport’s biggest prizes.
Speaking on his podcast with former WTA star Andrea Petkovic, the six-time Grand Slam champion questioned why no other player has managed to seriously challenge the two young stars, who have now combined to win the last eight major titles.
“It’s an incredible statistic — eight consecutive Grand Slam victories for either Alcaraz or Sinner,” Becker said.
He then went on to call out eight players, including Jack Draper and Alexander Zverev.
Boris Becker has launched a stinging criticism of some of the biggest names in men’s tennis, accusing them of being “content” with quarter-final and semi-final runs while Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner sweep up the sport’s biggest prizes
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Becker continued: “But where the hell are the rest? We’re talking about Alexander Zverev, Jack Draper, Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, Casper Ruud, Holger Rune, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev.
“Something about the rest — they seem content with the second or third role. ‘Quarter-finals are okay, semi-finals are okay.’ No, it’s not okay if you want to become the best tennis player in the world.”
Becker’s blunt assessment highlights the gulf between the sport’s top two players and the chasing pack.
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Alcaraz and Sinner have turned the men’s game into a two-man show, with the duo facing each other in three Grand Slam finals in 2025.
Sinner opened the year by winning the Australian Open and claimed a breakthrough Wimbledon title in July, while Alcaraz triumphed at Roland Garros and capped the summer by reclaiming the US Open crown.
Their rivalry has drawn comparisons to the golden era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, who between them dominated tennis for nearly two decades.
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Jack Draper is yet to win a Grand Slam title
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Yet Becker believes the sport needs more players breaking through to stop it from becoming a closed shop.
The German’s comments also come at a time when Djokovic, now 38, continues to defy age by reaching the semi-finals at all four Slams this season.
He remains a factor at the very top but has been edged aside by both Alcaraz and Sinner in their last three meetings at majors, underlining the generational shift taking place.
Medvedev and Zverev remain the only players outside of Alcaraz and Sinner to have reached multiple Slam finals in the last four years, but neither has been able to convert those runs into sustained dominance.
Younger stars such as Rune and Draper have made progress but have yet to string together deep runs at consecutive majors.
Becker’s message is clear: the next tier of players needs to raise their level if they want to challenge the Alcaraz–Sinner duopoly heading into 2026.
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Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have dominated tennis this year
| REUTERS“If you want to be No. 1 in the world, you have to believe quarter-finals aren’t enough,” Becker said.
The pressure will now be on Zverev, Rune, Medvedev, and the rest of the field to deliver when the tour heads to the ATP Finals and then Melbourne for the Australian Open — or risk another season dominated by tennis’s new power duo.