For the past two years, the ATP Tour has all been about the towering duopoly of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Their dominance at the highest level of tennis has left the rest of the ATP Tour scrambling for answers. With competition, there comes comparison. Now that their peers are labeling them invincible, Alcaraz doesn’t buy into the myth, using the ultimate compliment to fuel his confidence.
Carlos Alcaraz Uses Bublik’s Praise to Fuel Grand Slam Confidence
Recently, the always-candid Alexander Bublik voiced what many inside the locker room might be thinking. Speaking ahead of the Monte-Carlo Masters, the Kazakh star claimed that when it comes to Grand Slams, Alcaraz and Sinner are simply “untouchable,” pointing to the massive gap between the two and the rest of the tour.
The statistics clearly back up the world No. 11’s statement. Between them, Alcaraz and Sinner have incredibly captured the last nine consecutive Grand Slam titles. The dominant modern era they have established mirrors the prime years of the legendary Big Three.
Before his Monte-Carlo quarterfinal matchup against Bublik, Alcaraz was asked about his opponent’s praise. While the Spaniard appreciated the compliment, he was quick to reject the idea that he and his Italian rival could not be defeated over five tough sets.
“Well, I mean, we played the last nine Grand Slams, but I still don’t believe that we are unbeatable in Grand Slams,” Alcaraz said during his press conference.
However, the 22-year-old didn’t completely brush off the compliment.
“But a player like Bublik, he’s top 10… saying that helps a lot for the confidence,” Alcaraz told the reporters.
“Someone who understands the game pretty well, like Bublik says that we cannot lose in a Grand Slam, that helps a lot for us to play with a lot of confidence. But to be honest, I’m not really agreeing with it.”
Alcaraz is smart to avoid the trap of complacency, especially since he knows a single off day or minor injury can derail any tournament.
MORE: Jannik Sinner Dismisses World No. 1 Ranking Chase in Rivalry With Carlos Alcaraz
The two are set to face off, for the first time, in the quarterfinals of the Monte-Carlo Masters, marking a fascinating clash of styles on the slow Monaco clay. For Bublik, it’s a historic run in the tournament, becoming the first Kazakh player ever to reach this stage.
For Alcaraz, the goal will be to be prepared for his highly unpredictable opponent. Bublik had dismal records, including a 2-6 stretch in 2022 and a 5-7 mark in 2023. But in 2025, he completely flipped the script, with a dominant 23-6 record on clay. That sudden 79% win rate led him to a deep run at Roland Garros and to back-to-back ATP clay-court titles in Gstaad and Kitzbühel. However, Alcaraz has a career win rate of nearly 85% on clay. In the entire Open Era of professional tennis, only two men possess a higher winning percentage on the dirt: Rafael Nadal and Björn Borg.
Alcaraz and Bublik will face off on Friday at 7:20 a.m. ET.
