According to Paolo Bertolucci, the prospects are already sharply defined, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner the clear favorites.
JANNIK SINNER WINS AN ABSURD POINT AGAINST CARLOS ALCARAZ AT THE US OPEN.
Unreal.
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
pic.twitter.com/Tb5haTY1YX
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 7, 2025
The former world No. 12 sees little room for uncertainty as the ATP Tour prepares to touch down in Australia. Success at Melbourne Park carries a unique weight. The demanding conditions and intensity of the first major event of the season often separate aspirants from pretenders.
The Australian Open crown makes the season exceptional after just a few weeks. It also provides authority, confidence and rhythm that can shape the months to come.
In that context, Sinner and Alcaraz emerge as players who have already proven they can thrive when the stakes are highest. Since the beginning of 2024, they have created a clear hierarchy.
The Spaniard and the Italian have shared all eight Major trophies in the last two years. To make matters even more their way, we’ve seen them reach the finals of the previous three Majors, with no one achieving that before in the Open era.
Outside of their fights, they lost one match at Majors in 2025, with Novak Djokovic beating Alcaraz in Melbourne. The Spaniard has yet to play his best tennis Down Under and will never reach the semi-finals.
Carlos will look to change that next month, looking for the last missing Major title in his collection and attempting to achieve a Career Grand Slam at the age of 22. The El Palmar native will compete without Juan Carlos Ferrero in his box following their recent split.
On the other hand, Sinner is the favorite to go all the way in Melbourne for the third year in a row. He defeated Novak Djokovic and came from two sets down against Daniil Medvedev in 2024.
This year he defeated Alexander Zverev in the final to successfully defend the trophy and extend his reign. For Bertolucci, the gap between them and the others is clear.
So he cannot imagine that a third player can maintain the level necessary to stop Carlos or Jannik. The Australian Open is approaching and the story seems set.
Bertolucci believes the trophy will go via Sinner or Alcaraz. They need to reaffirm who truly defines the current era of men’s tennis. Their potential fourth consecutive Major final would compete with that picture more efficiently than anything else.
“The Australian Open is a Major that can determine the course of a season. A win on the scorching hard courts of Melbourne Park immediately puts you in a good position, gives you momentum and defines your season.
At this point the picture is pretty clear. Jannik and Carlos are the overwhelming favorites in every tournament they enter, especially after the last three major tournaments in which they fought for the title.
It is difficult to imagine that a third candidate could stand in their way,” said Paolo Bertolucci.
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