Jannik Sinner's pointed message for Carlos Alcaraz as he explains Wimbledon win

Daily Mirror

5 days ago

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are currently the dominant forces in men's tennis and the Italian has aimed a potential dig at his rival while explaining the key to his success
Jannik Sinner has revealed the key behind his Wimbledon win, saying "hard work always beats talent." The quote from the SW19 champion perfectly sums up the type of player he is, while possibly taking a subtle swipe at rival Carlos Alcaraz, whom he recently beat in the Wimbledon final.
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Sinner, 23, and Alcaraz, 22, represent the future of tennis in the post-'Big Three' era. They've already claimed four and five Grand Slam crowns respectively.
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They clashed in what many consider one of the greatest major finals in memory at the French Open last month, where Alcaraz showcased both grit and extraordinary ability to survive three Championship points and triumph at Roland-Garros, despite trailing by two sets at one point.
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The pair locked horns once more on Wimbledon's Centre Court earlier this month. Sinner gained his revenge with a 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory.
As the two have increasingly dominated tournaments over the last two years, a narrative has emerged suggesting Alcaraz possesses more natural ability, given that he's physically stronger and has a broader range of impressive strokes at his disposal.
Sinner, meanwhile, lacks the same flair that characterises the Spaniard's game, but his disciplined and hard-working approach has enabled him to progress tremendously and forge a relentless and reliable baseline game.
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The Italian delved into that as he explained his Wimbledon triumph, possibly taking a jibe at the easy-going and party-loving Alcaraz in the process. Sinner said in a recent interview: "I always say that hard work beats talent. And that's what I try to do.
'I always go on a practice court with a purpose, and I believe that the mindset you start to build in practice sessions, when you struggle, when you have pain, when you at times don't want to practice...
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"But you still go and you still do everything possible to make it a good day. If you cannot do it in practice sessions, then you cannot do it in the real matches."
The difference between Sinner and Alcaraz is clear even with regards to their on-court demeanour. While Alcaraz is known to regularly fire up the crowd, Sinner maintains a cooler, more composed presence – something that may have given Alcaraz an edge during his incredible comeback in Paris.
Their two differing styles and Sinner's comments were supported by former tennis star Mats Wilander recently, where he explained why the Italian is potentially a better role model for aspiring tennis players.
In an interview with L'Equipe, the Swedish legend said: "I think his tennis is five or 10 years ahead of what I imagined the evolution of the game would be. A bit like when, in football, for the first time, there was quick one-touch passes.
"The speed of the game was turned upside down. He's leading the way and will quickly serve as a role model, because not everyone can play tennis like Alcaraz.
"That requires extremely rare talent. On the other hand, everyone can try to play like Sinner, which doesn't require exceptional talent in itself, but total dedication."