Last week, shortly after Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner played the point of the year so far – exchanges of 80mph cross-court forehands; Sinner hooking the ball back from behind him; Alcaraz falling and recovering; the kind of exquisite drop shots and physics‑defying sliding we’ve come to expect from both; and, finally, a triumphant Sinner whipping up the crowd after a fruitless dive from Alcaraz left the Spaniard sprawled and breathless on Miami’s Hard Rock court – their colleagues took to social media in adoration and disbelief.
“Guys, are you from this planet?” and “What in the alien”, posted Aryna Sabalenka and Bianca Andreescu of the other-worldly efforts. “Absolute insanity” was the verdict of Jessica Pegula while John Isner wrote: “Tennis is in good hands.”