Sinner defeats Djokovic to reach first Wimbledon final
Sinner will now face defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a highly anticipated rematch of their recent French Open final. The 23-year-old is eager for redemption after squandering three championship points in that dramatic Roland Garros showdown.
The victory marks Sinner's fourth consecutive Grand Slam final appearance, further cementing his status alongside Alcaraz as the dominant force in men's tennis. The pair have claimed the last six major titles between them.
For Djokovic, the loss ends his bid for a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title. The 38-year-old, who appeared hampered by injury, missed his first final at the tournament since 2017.
'It's amazing to reach the final here,' said Sinner. 'I served well, moved well, and stayed calm even when Novak was struggling.'
Djokovic, who received treatment for a leg issue during the match, struggled to match Sinner's relentless precision. The Italian broke early in each set and maintained control throughout, sealing victory in just over two hours.
Sinner, who overcame an elbow injury earlier in the tournament, now prepares for another chapter in his rivalry with Alcaraz. The Spaniard leads their head-to-head 8-4, including five straight wins. However, Sinner's last Wimbledon victory over Alcaraz in 2022 offers hope for an upset.
'It's an honour to play Carlos again,' Sinner added. 'We push each other to the limit, and I hope it's another great match.' - AFP
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The Star
19 minutes ago
- The Star
Tennis-Sinner seeks redemption, Alcaraz a three-peat in Wimbledon final showdown
LONDON (Reuters) -For Jannik Sinner, Sunday's Wimbledon final offers a chance of redemption; for Carlos Alcaraz it is an opportunity to join an elite club of men who have won the title three years in succession. There are many other plot lines but above all the showdown will help to cement a rivalry that could dominate tennis for a decade. Fears of a void in the wake of the golden era of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic were real -- surely nothing would ever be the same again after an age in which they took the sport to unimaginable heights. From 2003 to 2023, the trio accumulated 66 Grand Slam titles between them and their rivalries were complex and compelling in equal measure. Djokovic is not done yet but a new era has begun and it promises to be just as spectacular as the previous one. Between them, Alcaraz and Sinner have shared the last six Grand Slam titles and their mesmeric clash last month in the longest-ever French Open final is being touted as one of the greatest of all time. The Spaniard came back from two sets down and saved three match points on his way to a fifth Grand Slam title, in the process taking his head-to-head record over Sinner to 8-4, including winning all of the last four. It was a painful defeat for world number one Sinner but he has not had to wait long to try to set the record straight. "He is the favourite. He won here two times in a row. He's again in the final. It's very tough to beat him on grass but I like these challenges," the 23-year-old Sinner said of Alcaraz after beating Djokovic to reach his first Wimbledon final. "This is the second consecutive Grand Slam that we are in the final and playing each other, which is great from my side. I believe it's good for the sport." Sinner's three Grand Slam titles have all come on hard courts, two in Melbourne and one in New York. Alcaraz's major titles have come on all the sport's surfaces, suggesting a more complete game, but Sinner's performance against Ben Shelton in the quarters and Djokovic in the semis, show just how suited his game is to grass. His laser-like ground strokes, powerful serve and his ability to turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye were all on show and Alcaraz knows he faces a challenge every bit as tough as Roland Garros on Centre Court on Sunday. The only other time they have met on grass was at Wimbledon in 2022 when Sinner won their last-16 clash in four sets. "I expect that on Sunday, just to be on the limit, to be on the line," the 22-year-old Alcaraz, who is on a 24-match winning streak, said. "I just hope not to be five hours and a half on court again. But if have to, I will." Should Alcaraz prevail he would join Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Djokovic as the only men to win the Wimbledon title three years in a row and he would also surpass Nadal's two Wimbledon crowns. Both players have shown vulnerability during the fortnight. Alcaraz flirted with a shock first-round defeat against Italian Fabio Fognini, needing five sets. Sinner trailed by two sets against Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth-round after hurting his elbow, but was reprieved when the Bulgarian retired hurt. Sinner, the third Italian to reach a Wimbledon singles final after Matteo Berrettini in 2021 and Jasmine Paolini last year, has looked unhindered by his elbow despite wearing a compression sleeve on his right arm in his last two matches. "I think we are handling this small problem at the moment very well," he said. So the stage is set for a fitting end to a sun-filled Wimbledon fortnight and if Sunday's duel is even remotely as compelling as the one in Paris, we are in for a treat. (Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Clare Fallon)
New Straits Times
24 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Sinner believes Wimbledon showdown with favourite Alcaraz will be different
LONDON: Top seed Jannik Sinner said he would not be in the Wimbledon final if he still harboured the hurt from his heart-breaking defeat by Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final and believed tomorrow's meeting would be different. Sinner had three match points at Roland Garros before Alcaraz came roaring back to defend his crown and the Italian was left licking his wounds after the near-5-1/2 hour tug of war, which many fans labelled as one of the greatest finals. A month on, Sinner has successfully left that loss in the rear-view mirror and is into his first Wimbledon final, where he will look to take revenge on Alcaraz. "If it would be a lot in my head, I would not be in the situation to play a final again," Sinner told reporters after beating Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in Friday's semi-final. "I'm very happy to once again share the court with Carlos. It's going to be difficult, I know that. But I'm looking forward to it. I try always to put myself in these kinds of situations I really love. Sundays in every tournament are special. "But this is a question I cannot answer because I think it's something you feel before the match and also during the match. I can give you answers after. But no, it's a different match. I'm looking forward to it." Sinner, who has lost his last five matches against Alcaraz to trail 4-8 in their head-to-head meetings, said the Spaniard was the favourite heading into their All England Club meeting but he would do his best to turn around his fortunes. "We evolve as players and we get better as competitors. So of course, you try to do something different. You don't want to be predictable on the court, so we're going to prepare in the best possible way," Sinner said. "I believe when the match and the rhythm is that high, you play a lot with your gut feeling too, or what you feel like in that moment. Obviously, the surface is different. "He is the favourite. He won here two times in a row. He's again in the final. It's very tough to beat him on grass but I like these challenges. I like to go head-to-head and see what I can do and what I can reach." - REUTERS
The Sun
9 hours ago
- The Sun
Amanda Anisimova silences doubters with stunning Wimbledon final run
AMANDA ANISIMOVA has silenced her doubters by reaching her first Wimbledon final, just two years after being warned that a mental health break could derail her career. The 23-year-old American, seeded 13th, stunned world number one Aryna Sabalenka with a hard-fought 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory in Thursday's semi-final on Centre Court. Anisimova will now face five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek in Saturday's title match. The achievement marks a remarkable turnaround for the former teen prodigy, who stepped away from tennis in 2023 due to depression caused by the pressures of early success. After her breakthrough run to the 2019 French Open semi-finals at just 17, Anisimova struggled to meet expectations. Critics warned that her hiatus would jeopardize her career, but she has proven them wrong with a resurgent 2025 season. Following a drop outside the top 400 upon her return, she claimed the Qatar Open in February and reached the Queen's Club final in June. Her Wimbledon success guarantees a top-10 WTA ranking next week, a first for the American. Reflecting on her journey, Anisimova said, 'When I took my break, a lot of people told me that you would never make it to the top again if you take so much time away from the game. Just me being able to prove that you can get back to the top if you prioritise yourself—that's been incredibly special.' Anisimova is only the second player in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam final after losing in qualifying the previous year. 'For it to happen here is still a little bit unbelievable to me,' she admitted. Her upcoming clash with Swiatek holds sentimental value, as the pair last met in the Junior Fed Cup finals. 'Iga is such an unbelievable player. She's been an inspiration to me,' Anisimova said. 'Getting to compete against her again is going to be super special.' - AFP
