Gael Monfils prepares for the final chapter of his long and charismatic career in 2026.
For the veteran, men's tennis is returning to a familiar pattern thanks to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
The Frenchman spent his entire career battling the Big 4. Now, he sees the same gravitational pull forming around the Spaniard and the Italian, the dominant duo of men's tennis.
What stands out most is not simply their shot-making or athleticism. It's about how they have dominated the biggest stages since the start of 2024. In the previous two years, they won 18 of 19 tournaments they entered together.
In Monfils' opinion, theirresults have created a sense of inevitability that once surrounded Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray during their prime years.
That accumulation of victories on the biggest stages breeds belief - in themselves and in the locker room, where their opponents already sense how hard it is to stop them in the best-of-fivebattles.
Gael praised their problem-solving ability as the true separator. Carlos and Jannik can consistently find answers when matches twist and momentum shifts. The others are throwing everything at them, but they somehow always find a way to prevail.
Alcaraz thrives in chaos, going down and bouncing back to grab thrilling victories with a smile on his face. Sinner, by contrast, brings a colder efficiency, applies relentless pressure and closes doors with clinicalprecision.
This adaptability is what elevates them beyond the rest of the field. While other players provide flashes of brilliance, Sinner and Alcaraz can adjust, endure and emerge on top regardless of conditions and challenges.
That trait, more than a raw talent, is what defined the Big 4's reign a decade ago. For Monfils, who has seen both dominant forces, the resemblance is striking, with the new generation already imposing its authority.
The faces at the summit are new, but a familiar era of dominance is reborn through Alcaraz and Sinner. They will chase their ninth straight Major title in Melbourne.
If they reach the final and battle for the crown, it will be their fourth Major final in a row, with no other rivals playing in three like they did in Paris, London and New York.
"They are taking all the Majors. It gives them the winning momentum that the Big 4 once had. Tennis-wise, of course, they are playing better than the others, otherwise they would not be winning.
What makes them especially extraordinary is their ability to solve every problem and win time and time again. That's even more impressive than pure tennis. Carlos can win in three, four, or five sets, while Jannik is more clinical.
They are managing to become more consistent, starting to become as impressive as the Big 4 in their prime," Gael Monfils said.
