Jannik Sinner will bid for his first Wimbledon title and attempt to gain revenge for a devastating French Open final defeat when he faces Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday’s championship match at the All England Club.
The world number one and defending champion Alcaraz will meet on Centre Court at 4pm local time, just over a month after their epic five-hour, 29-minute Roland Garros final – the longest in the tournament’s history. Alcaraz came back from two sets down and saved three championship points to claim his fifth Grand Slam title in Paris.
Between them, Alcaraz and Sinner have won the last six Grand Slam titles, establishing themselves as the dominant forces in men’s tennis following the era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Path to the Final
Sinner reached his maiden Wimbledon final with a clinical straight-sets victory over seven-time champion Djokovic on Friday. The Italian took just one hour and 55 minutes to dispatch the Serbian 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, completing his set of Grand Slam final appearances at all four majors.
“I can’t believe it,” said Sinner after his semi-final victory. “It’s a tournament I always watched when I was young on television. I would never have imagined that I could play here in the final, so it’s amazing.”
The 23-year-old Italian has now won five consecutive matches against Djokovic, including Grand Slam semi-final triumphs at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon. By defeating Djokovic, Sinner became the 11th man in the Open Era to reach finals at all four Grand Slam events.
Alcaraz’s Title Defence
Alcaraz secured his place in a third consecutive Wimbledon final with a hard-fought 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(6) victory over American Taylor Fritz. The Spaniard saved two set points at 4-6 in the fourth-set tiebreak, reeling off four consecutive points to keep his title defence alive.
The 22-year-old is bidding to join an elite group of players who have won three consecutive Wimbledon titles. Only Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have achieved this feat in the Open Era.
“It’s a huge honour for me to share the court once again with Carlos,” Sinner said. “We try to push ourselves to the limit. He is for sure one of the players I look up to. I love watching him and we all agree what kind of talent he is.”
Roland Garros Rematch
The spectre of their Roland Garros final looms large over Sunday’s encounter. In Paris, Sinner held three championship points at 5-3 in the fourth set but couldn’t convert, eventually losing 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(10-2) in the longest final in the tournament’s history.
“I’m still thinking about that moment sometimes,” Alcaraz admitted. “It was the best match that I have ever played so far. I’m not surprised he pushed me to the limit. I expect that on Sunday just to be on the limit, to be on the line.”
Despite the painful defeat, Sinner insisted the loss hasn’t weighed heavily on his mind during his Wimbledon campaign. “I think if it would be a lot in my head, I would not be in the situation to play a final again,” he said with a smile.
Head-to-Head Dominance
Alcaraz holds a commanding 8-4 lead in their head-to-head series, having won their last five meetings. The Spaniard has defeated Sinner at Indian Wells, Roland Garros, Beijing, Rome and most recently at the French Open final.
However, their only previous grass-court encounter went Sinner’s way – a four-set victory in the 2022 Wimbledon fourth round. The Italian will hope that result provides some psychological advantage as he seeks to end his losing streak against the Spaniard.
“We saw the last final. You never know,” Sinner said. “It’s going to be a good match like the last one. I’m just excited about it.”
Different Challenges
Both players have shown vulnerability during this fortnight at SW19. Alcaraz needed five sets to overcome Fabio Fognini in the first round, whilst Sinner trailed by two sets against Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round before the Bulgarian retired injured.
The Italian’s own fitness was questioned after he slipped early against Dimitrov, though he appeared to move freely in his semi-final demolition of Djokovic. I served very well today,” Sinner reflected. “I felt great on court. I was moving much better today.”
Alcaraz acknowledged that Sinner would likely have learned from their Roland Garros encounter. “I’m pretty sure he’s going to take a lot of things from the French Open final, that he’s going to be better,” the Spaniard said. “He’s going to be better physically, he’s going to be better mentally.”
Historical Context
Should Alcaraz prevail, he would join Borg as the only men in the Open Era to complete the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double in consecutive years. The Spaniard is also seeking to surpass Rafael Nadal’s two Wimbledon crowns, having already equalled his compatriot’s tally.
For Sinner, victory would mark his fourth Grand Slam title and first away from hard courts. The Italian has won the Australian Open twice and the US Open once but is yet to taste success on grass or clay at major level.
“It shows I’m growing as a player on all surfaces,” Sinner said. “I struggled a lot five years ago when I started on this surface. Now I’m moving much better.”
A Rivalry Defining an Era
Their rivalry has already produced memorable encounters, with their Roland Garros final being hailed as one of the greatest matches of all time. Rafael Nadal, watching from home, called it “a match for the ages” and praised both players for their performances.
Tennis is in good hands,” Nadal said of Sinner and Alcaraz. “They are two players who are head and shoulders above the rest at the moment, proving that they are great champions.”
The outcome of Sunday’s final could have significant implications for the rest of the season. Sinner will remain world number one regardless of the result, but Alcaraz could extend his lead in the ATP Live Race to Turin with victory.
Final Thoughts
As the tennis world prepares for another chapter in this captivating rivalry, both players understand the magnitude of the occasion. Alcaraz seeks to cement his status as the game’s dominant force on natural surfaces, whilst Sinner aims to prove he can conquer all terrains.
“Hopefully it’s going to be a good match like the last one,” Sinner concluded, though few would complain if Sunday’s encounter falls slightly short of the five-and-a-half-hour marathon they produced in Paris.
The stage is set for what promises to be another classic encounter between tennis’s two brightest young stars, with history beckoning for both men on the sport’s most prestigious stage.
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