Ivan: The key to Sinner and Alcaraz's success lies in their families, enabling them to dominate the tennis world for 10 to 15 years.

Recently, Djokovic’s former coach Ivanisevic spoke about the twin stars of men's tennis today, emphasizing that a vital reason for their great achievements is rooted in their family support.

Ivanisevic pointed out that both players come from “very ordinary” family settings, which is remarkable in the highly competitive tennis arena. Even more valuable is that their parents never overly controlled their lives but instead allowed them to fully embrace their coaches’ guidance.

“In tennis, I have never seen crazier families; everyone interferes, which is tough for players. These two, their families are truly incredible. Sinner’s father hasn’t even attended Roland Garros due to work; Alcaraz’s parents are the kindest people I’ve ever met,” Ivanisevic said.

Actually, Ivanisevic’s remarks hold some truth. Take Alcaraz, for example: he grew up in a small town outside Murcia, Spain. His father was a national-level tennis player, and the family ran a modest club to make a living. Besides Alcaraz, his older and younger brothers also started tennis early. However, Alcaraz’s first coach was not his father; the person who truly accompanied him was Kiko Navarro, a resident coach at the family club.

Kiko once recalled in an interview, “I was even stricter than his dad! I didn’t allow Alcaraz to use his phone or get addicted to games. I wanted him to understand that freedom isn’t indulgence but relaxation after self-discipline.”

It was in this relatively free, non-interfering, and fully trusting environment created by his parents that Alcaraz exploded at age 13, signing with IMG, parting ways with Kiko, and joining the famous coach Ferrero. After that, everyone knows the story.

Sinner’s experience is similar: his father, John, worked tirelessly in the kitchen of a small-town restaurant, while his mother, Signette, busily served guests with a smile. From a young age, Sinner developed a strong passion for tennis, and his family made tough decisions, investing heavily and even mortgaging their cherished home to support him. As a child, Sinner spent most of his time training with coaches. His father was busy daily but chose to care for him in life’s practical ways. Though clumsy and not professionally skilled, his father would help him practice, and that heartfelt dedication kept Sinner moving forward.

Additionally, Ivanisevic emphasized the similarities between Sinner and Djokovic: “Yannik reminds me of Novak. He’s like an unranked Novak; their playing styles are very similar. Once Sinner gets a hold of you, it’s over.”

This view has been echoed by other experts. Tennis legend Becker said, “I’ve watched many of his matches recently; he’s in great form. Since the US Open, he’s played his best tennis, looking very much like Djokovic.”

Zverev also shared his thoughts after the Australian Open final: “He is extremely similar to Novak when at his best. They barely make mistakes or errors. They make you feel you have to hit every shot perfectly to compete with them.”

Ivanisevic summarized their similarity as “extreme discipline, born for tennis,” both “fully dedicated to the sport, focusing every hour of every day on tennis.”

Regarding the future of these two young players, he is confident: “In my opinion, these two will hold the world No. 1 and No. 2 spots for the next 10 to 15 years. I don’t know who will be first or second, or who will win more Grand Slams.”(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)