Roger Federer's ex-coach picks top American as potential Alcaraz-Sinner disruptor in 2026 tennis season

As the 2026 season approaches, the tennis world waits with bated breath to see if anyone will be able to spoil the party for Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Former player and coach Paul Annacone has tipped his pupil, Taylor Fritz, to lead the way.

Fritz finished the 2025 season as the sixth-ranked player with a 53-23 record. He won a couple of ATP 250 titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne. As far as the Majors are concerned, the American's best result came at the Wimbledon Championships, where he reached the semifinals.

During a recent conversation with Tennis Channel, Annacone, who started working with Fritz in 2018, was asked which player would win their first Grand Slam title in 2026. Roger Federer's former coach said:

"I’ve got to go with my guy, Taylor Fritz. The American looks to be getting more and more comfortable at the top, so if he stays healthy, I see him in the winners' circle."

Taylor Fritz has lost five of his six matches against World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and four of his five matches against World No. 2 Jannik Sinner. His biggest title so far came at the 2022 Indian Wells Open, when he defeated tennis legend Rafael Nadal in the final.

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Rafael Nadal weighs in on the differences between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

Nitto ATP Finals 2025 - Day 8 - Source: Getty

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have established a duopoly on the men's tour, winning the last eight Grand Slam titles. They are in their early 20s, but have already clashed 16 times on the tour. The Spaniard is leading the head-to-head record 10-6.

Rafael Nadal, who retired from professional tennis last year, recently told Spanish outlet AS (via TNT Sports):

"They're different players than I used to be. I think Carlos is more unpredictable: he makes more mistakes, plays more spectacular points, and sometimes doesn't have such a defined playing style, which makes him unpredictable and fun for the spectator." "Jannik is a more methodical, focused player, with a more defined playing style, and he adds things little by little, which is why he's so solid and loses so few matches. Sometimes it seems like Carlos is more scattered, but when you look at the results, he's had an incredibly consistent and solid year in all the major tournaments," he added.

Alcaraz has won six Majors, while Sinner has four.

Edited by Parag Jain