Jannik Sinner defeated Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to claim his maiden Wimbledon title, avenging his heartbreaking French Open final loss just weeks earlier.
The 23-year-old world No. 1 becomes the first Italian to win at the All England Club and now boasts four Grand Slam titles. His triumph marks a significant chapter in what is fast becoming the sport’s defining new rivalry.
Sinner and Alcaraz—who was bidding for a third straight Wimbledon crown—have now won seven of the past eight majors between them, with Sinner claiming four.
Their latest showdown followed a string of tough losses for Sinner, including five consecutive defeats to Alcaraz, most recently in the Italian Open final—his comeback tournament after a doping suspension.
But on Centre Court, Sinner flipped the script.
Turning the tide
After dropping the first set, Sinner found his rhythm. He broke early in the second and never looked back, shrugging off a brief delay caused by a flying cork and wearing a protective sleeve from a previous fall.
The match turned in the third set when Alcaraz slipped on the baseline, allowing Sinner to grab a crucial break for a 2-1 lead. With momentum on his side, the Italian broke again in the fourth and held firm despite late pressure from the Spaniard.
Serving for the championship amid a roaring crowd that included Prince William and Princess Catherine, Sinner sealed victory on his second match point—capping off a composed and clinical performance.
Sinner’s run to the final was dominant. He cruised through the opening rounds, dropping just 17 games—matching a record from 1972—before surviving a scare in the fourth round when Grigor Dimitrov retired injured while two sets up.
He rebounded strongly to defeat 10th seed Ben Shelton in the quarters and dismantled seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, was chasing history, aiming to become just the fifth man in the Open Era to win three straight Wimbledons—joining the ranks of Borg, Sampras, Federer, and Djokovic.
But on this day, Sinner was simply too good.
AFP
