WIMBLEDON, England — World No. 1 Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to win his first Wimbledon title and fourth Grand Slam crown.
The Italian gained revenge over Alcaraz after his agonizing defeat in last month’s French Open final, when Sinner held three match points before going down in five sets.
Alcaraz was trying to become only the fifth man in the Open era to win Wimbledon three years in a row. But after taking the first set, he was outplayed by Sinner, who is the first Italian to win the title.
It’s the first time Sinner has beaten Alcaraz in their past six meetings, cutting the deficit in their head to head battles to 8-5. The pair are now 1-1 in Slam finals against each other and have separated themselves from the pack.
We break down what makes their rivalry special.
They bring out the best in each other
Like all great rivalries, these two seem to force each other to new levels. At times, when they’re going toe-to-toe from the baseline, it’s like watching Pong, the vintage computer game, where the ball speeds up at every turn.
The shot-making is incredible, as Sinner showed with a between-the-legs half-volley in the final on Sunday, or as Alcaraz demonstrated with an outrageous stretch before hitting a sliced backhand pass. Three of their four Grand Slam battles have gone the distance, and their Roland Garros final this year is already being talked up as one of the all-time great matches.
Each says the other has made him a better player, and that the other inspires him to work harder, knowing that if they don’t, the other one will be.
“I’m really happy to be able to build a great relationship off the court but also a great rivalry on the court that makes me improve every day,” Alcaraz said on Sunday.
They have won the last seven majors between them
When Djokovic, Federer and Rafael Nadal were dominating the game, they monopolized the majors, too. From the start of 2004 to the end of Roland Garros, the Big Three won 65 of the 77 Grand Slams to be played — a phenomenal era.
Alcaraz and Sinner are in their infancy, by comparison, but they have now won the past seven majors between them: Sinner winning four and Alcaraz winning three. Things can change quickly in tennis and the youngsters like Joao Fonseca may challenge them in the years to come, but right now, it’s hard to see anyone else winning any of the four Slams, if this duo stays fit.
Their contrasting styles make for dramatic battles
We’re not quite talking about John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl, the ultimate contrast in styles, or personalities; Sinner and Alcaraz genuinely like each other and respect each other, on and off the court. But they are also different enough, in terms of the way they play, to ensure that whenever they meet, drama is almost guaranteed.
Both are incredible athletes. Alcaraz has the flair — the touch, the groundstrokes, the charisma — while Sinner has the power, the poise, the unflappable nature. One rises, the other responds; when Alcaraz rushes the net, Sinner passes; when Sinner moves back, Alcaraz uses the drop shot. Neither gives an inch, each always believes they can dig themselves out of a hole, and the smile of Alcaraz is matched by the steel in the eyes of Sinner.
Sinner’s win is good for the rivalry
Where does their rivalry sit in terms of tennis history? Well, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert’s record of 80 matches against each other — an incredible 60 in finals — will probably never be beaten, but the way these two are dominating the sport, equally adept on every surface, suggests they are likely to be playing each other for the biggest titles for many years to come.
A rivalry is only a rivalry if both players keep winning, and so in that sense, Sinner’s victory was important, ending a run of five straight losses to Alcaraz, who now leads 8-5. Almost every time they play each other it seems to be a classic, and if they get anywhere near the likes of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal (60); Djokovic and Roger Federer (50) and Federer and Nadal (40), then we’re in for a treat.