Tennis News Today: Carlos Alcaraz admits Jannik Sinner is a better tennis player than him; Victoria Azarenka praises Novak Djokovic's adaptive approach

Carlos Alcaraz admitted that Jannik Sinner is currently a better tennis player than him.

Victoria Azarenka shared her admiration for Novak Djokovic’s constant improvement in his game despite his dominance. Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev and girlfriend Sophia Thomalla graced the 2024 Los Cabos Open players' party in an all-white ensemble.

Also, Coco Gauff revealed how she deals with taxes as a professional tennis player.

On that note, here's a quick overview of today's top headlines:

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Carlos Alcaraz acknowledges rival Jannik Sinner's current dominant form

Carlos Alcaraz admits that Jannik Sinner is currently a superior tennis player as compared to him.

Sinner kicked off the 2024 season by clinching his maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final. The Italian followed it up with another victory in the Rotterdam Open final against Alex de Minaur in straight sets. In contrast, Alcaraz has failed to secure another trophy since the 2023 Wimbledon Championships.

In a media interaction ahead of the Rio Open campaign, Alcaraz talked about the Italian's recent success on the tour.

"I'm not surprised because he's [Jannik Sinner is] a hard worker. If I want to match his level, I have to work hard because right now he's the one who's better. It's good for tennis that there's another young player like him who wins Grand Slams," Carlos Alcaraz said (via Marca).

Carlos Alcaraz was eventually forced to retire due to an ankle injury during his first-round match against Brazilian wildcard Thiago Monteiro.

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Victoria Azarenka lauds Novak Djokovic's adaptive approach to tennis despite his dominance

Victoria Azarenka expressed admiration for Novak Djokovic's constant improvement and adaptability in his tennis technique, even though he is one of the best in the sport.

Azarenka told WTA Insider that she is also trying to modify her game, even though it has helped her win many titles on the women’s tour.

"When you have success, you become quite conservative. It’s something that you probably rely on, something you’ve learned, something that worked. And then things change. The physicality of the sport changed — balls, surfaces, players, and game styles change," Azarenka said.

"If you have an open mind and you’re able to apply that objective criticism and understand, yes, I can probably beat 90 percent of players playing my old game, with what I learned and based on experience. But there’s that 10 percent and those are at the later stages of tournaments. What do I need to be able to do to win against those?" she added.

The 34-year-old acknowledged the necessity to shift away from a conservative approach. Azarenka added that she is drawing inspiration from World No. 1 Djokovic, noting the 36-year-old's ability to adapt and make changes to his game.

"I think that really is something that I try to understand and shred those walls of that conservativeness and what I know and what I’m really good at. It’s scary. It’s not easy, because it’s one thing to understand that quite well, but another to be able to go and dare," Azarenka said.

"I'm not sure how many people actually do see the changes that he made, even technically, with his serve and some of the movements in the game. It's pretty impressive," she added.

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Alexander Zverev and girlfriend Sophia Thomalla stun in coordinated all-white attire at Los Cabos Open players' party

Alexander Zverev and his girlfriend Sophia Thomalla made a chic statement at the 2024 Los Cabos Open player's party.

Zverev, who came off a semifinal loss at the Australian Open against eventual runner-up Daniil Medvedev, opted for a laid-back look, wearing a white t-shirt paired with matching trousers and sneakers. Meanwhile, Thomalla chose a white dress with a halter neckline, complementing it with silver heels and a studded purse.

Check out the pictures below:

Sophia Thomalla on Instagram

Top seed Alexander Zverev received a bye in his first round and will be facing Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka in the Round of 16, on Wednesday, February 21.

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Coco Gauff discusses fulfilling tax obligations since turning professional

Coco Gauff discussed her practice of paying taxes to the United States government since starting her professional career in tennis at the age of 14.

In a recent interview ahead of her campaign at the Dubai Tennis Championships, Gauff said that she has been fulfilling tax obligations since 2018, having earned nearly $13 million in prize money in tennis tournaments to date.

"I've always been aware that I had to pay taxes even when I was a minor," Gauff told The National.

The 19-year-old added that her father, Corey Gauff, has educated her on financial matters. However, she finds it disappointing to know the deductions from her earnings and wishes to unlearn this knowledge.

"I've been paying taxes since I've been making money," Gauff continued. "But just now, when I turned 19, my dad has made me more aware of how much I'm paying and how everything works with that world. I wish I could go back to not knowing how much is going away."