Patrick Mouratoglou has sparked debate among tennis fans by declaring that Daniil Medvedev possesses a superior two-handed backhand compared to Carlos Alcaraz, a bold claim given where both players currently sit in the ATP hierarchy.
In an Instagram video, the renowned coach, best known for his long tenure with Serena Williams and his more recent work with Holger Rune, was asked directly to compare the two shots. Without much hesitation, Mouratoglou sided with the Russian, choosing Medvedev's backhand over Alcaraz's and then continuing to rank it above those of Learner Tien, Karen Khachanov, Alex de Minaur, Flavio Cobolli, and Joao Fonseca.
The exercise eventually reached its ceiling when Mouratoglou conceded that Novak Djokovic's two-handed backhand was still better, famously remarking that landing on the GOAT essentially ends any debate. He then placed Djokovic above Ben Shelton, Alexander Zverev, Jakub Mensik, and Jannik Sinner as well.
The praise arrives at an interesting moment for Medvedev. While he remains one of the few active players with a Grand Slam title to his name, winning the 2021 US Open, his results against the sport's top names have been difficult lately. He holds just one win from his last five matches against Alcaraz and has dropped five consecutive matches against Sinner. His 2025 Grand Slam campaign has also disappointed, exiting the Australian Open in the fourth round, Roland Garros in the first round, and Wimbledon in the third round.
Still ranked inside the top ten, Medvedev is reportedly only 140 points behind Djokovic in fifth place, making the upcoming North American hardcourt swing crucial for his ranking ambitions.
TennisDraw users backing Medvedev for a deep run in the hardcourt season may point to Mouratoglou's assessment as reason for cautious optimism.
