Who can challenge Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner in 2026? 4 bold predictions from tennis insiders 

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have clearly distanced themselves from the rest of the pack on the ATP Tour. The two have swept every Major between them since the start of 2024. They took their dominance to another level in 2025.

The two contested three Majors finals against each other. When both of them participated in the same tournament, then either wound up as the winner every time. Alcaraz ended the season with 12,050 points, while Sinner had 11,500 points. This was the first time since 2016 that two players had more than 11,000 points at the end of the year.

The question on everybody's mind these days is who will step up to challenge them in the coming season. Some tennis insiders have taken a shot at predicting the same, and here are their picks on who could disrupt Alcaraz and Sinner's supremacy on the tour in 2026:

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#1. Patrick Mouratoglou has put his faith in Ben Shelton to snap the Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner duopoly

Patrick Mouratoglou knows a thing or two about great players, having coached 23-time Major champion Serena Williams for the better part of her career. He has his sights set on another American, Ben Shelton, as a potential challenger to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner's hegemony.

Mouratoglou recently spoke to the BBC about the same. He believes that Shelton has the tools to bother the tour's best two players, and the necessary self-confidence as well.

"I think the next guy will have to have a huge ego if he wants to be in the mix - so it can be someone like Shelton, maybe. He will have to make progress but I think his confidence in himself and in his game is big enough," Mouratoglou said.

Shelton captured his maiden Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open this year, and peaked at No. 5 in the rankings. He has already reached a couple of Major semifinals, though a combined 11-1 record against Alcaraz and Sinner indicates that he still has a lot of work to do before being a serious threat to them.

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#2. Jim Courier has backed Jack Draper as a probable threat to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

Jack Draper at the Indian Wells Masters 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Following a semifinal showing at the US Open 2024, Jack Draper proved that he's here to stay in 2025. He won his maiden Masters 1000 title at the Indian Wells Masters, that too by ousting two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz along the way.

Draper cracked the top 10 of the rankings, and also finished as the runner-up at the Madrid Open. However, his career has been plagued by recurring injuries, and the same story repeated itself this year as well. He eventually shut down his season after the US Open.

Jim Courier, who won four Major titles during his heyday, opined that Draper, if his body holds up, could weaken Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner's stronghold on the tour. He predicted the same during his appearance on the Tennis Channel last month.

"Who’s going to get better? Is it Jack Draper, who played so well to win Indian Wells and then had bad injury problems. He’s been sitting out for much of the second half of the season. Is he going to be able to come out and be a force to be reckoned with next year? Maybe — we’ll see," Courier said.

Draper has an even 1-1 record against Sinner, though he trails 2-4 against Alcaraz. His talent is undeniable, though the application of his skills will ultimately come down to how healthy he remains in the future.

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#3. Felix Auger-Aliassime has emerged as the top contender for Mark Petchey

Felix Auger-Alissime has already endured plenty of ups and downs in his career. His 2025 season was a mix of both, though it was overall a good year for him. He won two titles from three finals at the start of the season, and after a rough patch in between, had a resurgence in the second half of the season.

Auger-Aliassime reached the semifinals of the US Open and the ATP Finals, and won another title in between. He also capped off the season ranked No. 5. His ability to bounce back repeatedly has impressed former tennis pro Mark Petchey. During his appearance on the Tennis Channel a month ago, he pegged the Canadian as a potential contender to trouble Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

"I’m going to choose Félix Auger-Aliassime. I like how he’s matured over the last three or four months, I like how he played at the US Open, and he has some formidable weapons. When I look at Jannik and Carlos, I think that if you don’t have enough power, they’ll beat you every time," Petchey said.

Auger-Aliassime has multiple wins over Alcaraz and Sinner. However, he hasn't beaten them since the two stepped up their games since the start of the 2024 season.

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#4. Marcos Baghdatis has rallied behind Joao Fonseca to end Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner's reign

Joao Fonseca at the Swiss Indoors 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Marcos Baghdatis, the runner-up at the Australian Open 2006, has turned his attention to someone from the next generation of players to stop Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner's rampage. During a recent interview with Tennis365, the former pro picked teen phenom Joao Fonseca as someone who could possibly one-up the tour's top dogs.

"Maybe Fonseca, I would say. That’s one of them who could, and I think will. But other than Fonseca, especially in a Grand Slam in a five-setter, I don’t see [who can stop Alcaraz and Sinner]…" Baghdatis said.

The 2025 season was Fonseca's first full year on the ATP Tour. He reached the third round across multiple Majors and Masters 1000 tournaments. He also cracked the top 25 of the rankings thanks to a couple of titles. He didn't get an opportunity to test himself against Alcaraz and Sinner this year, so one will have to wait and watch to see how he fares against them.