In a hard-hitting Wimbledon masterclass, Jannik Sinner conquers himself
They started at the net with their arms around each other and finished 184 minutes later in the same place in roughly the same pose. Respect underpins their rivalry. Skill burnishes it. Ruthlessness triple-coats it. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz raise roofs and each other's level. They scorch the chalk off lines. They move like a video clip on fast forward. They make rallies sound like firecracker demonstrations.
Damn, they make tennis better.
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Independent Singapore
5 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Jannik Sinner avenges loss to Carlos Alcaraz by dethroning him at Wimbledon
Photo: PARIS, FRANCE: After his disappointing loss at Roland Garros, Jannik Sinner made an incredible comeback by winning this year's Wimbledon title, dethroning the defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the final match. Sinner won with an impressive 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 score and claimed his fourth Grand Slam title. He also made history by becoming the first Italian to lift the Wimbledon singles trophy. With his achievement, Sinner expressed: ' It's mostly emotional, because I had a very tough loss in Paris… But at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter how you win or how you lose at important tournaments; you just have to understand what you did wrong and try to work on that, and that's exactly what we did. We tried to accept the loss and just kept working. This is for sure one of the reasons I am holding this trophy here. I am just so grateful that I am healthy and have great people around me, and holding this trophy means a lot.' See also Venus Williams declines Indian Wells wildcard Sinner and Alcaraz's showdown Last June at the French Open, Sinner came close to winning the clay-court tournament. He had three chances to clinch victory in their semifinal match, but Alcaraz made comebacks and won the five-hour-long match. Determined to win at Wimbledon, Sinner now played with focus and gave excellent shots towards Alcaraz's weaker side. The 23-year-old Italian had control of the match and finally defeated Alcaraz, ending a streak of five losses against the Spaniard. Speaking to Alcaraz, Sinner expressed: 'Carlos, again, an amazing tournament, but mostly thank you for the player you are… It's so difficult to play against you, but we have an amazing relationship off the court and on the court, we just try to build up, and to do that, we need the best teams in the world. Keep going, keep pushing, and you are going to hold this [trophy] many times. You already have two [titles]!' Moreover, Sinner declared after his win: 'It's so special. Seeing my parents here, my brother, my whole team, it's amazing. Actually, a special thanks to my brother, because there is no Formula 1 race this weekend, that's why he is here.' Despite his loss, Alcaraz congratulated Sinner and stated, 'It's difficult to lose. It's always difficult to lose, even if it is in the final, but first of all, I have to congratulate Jannik once again… It is a really well-deserved trophy [after] an unbelievable two weeks here in London for you, playing great tennis. For your team as well. I know that there are a lot of family and a lot of friends watching you here, so it's just an amazing team around you.' 'I'm really happy for you. So just keep it going, and I'm really happy to be able to build a really good relationship off the court, but then a good rivalry on the court. It makes me improve every day, so thank you very much and congratulations,' Alcaraz added. On social media, Sinner posted: ' Living in my dream ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Thank you!!! 💜💚 @wimbledon ' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jannik Sinner (@janniksin) Netizens praised Sinner by commenting on the post: ' Huge congratulations🎉 on your well-deserved victory, Jannik🥕. Thank you for showing the world the highest level of resilience and determination of a champion. The sportsmanship you and Carlos have displayed has definitely added so much value to the sport🎾.♥️,' 'The most magical player in the world! You deserve it so much…,' and 'The way you overcame the heartbreak of Paris to capture this title is an inspiration, Jannik. I'm sure I speak for many when I say that your example was one I needed to see today. Well done, Champion 👏🏽.' () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Straits Times
Carlos Alcaraz says Jannik Sinner rivalry is a class apart
Jannik Sinner (right) hugging Spain's Carlos Alcaraz after winning the Wimbledon men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on July 13. LONDON – Carlos Alcaraz said he could hold his head high despite being unseated from his Wimbledon throne by Jannik Sinner on July 13 and the Spaniard praised their hot rivalry for being several notches higher than the others on the men's tour. Alcaraz's bid for a third straight title at the All England Club ended with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 loss on Centre Court, leaving him to digest his first Grand Slam final defeat. 'It's always a bad feeling losing matches. It's a little bit worse when you lose in a final,' said Alcaraz, who narrowly beat Sinner in a five-set humdinger at the French Open in June. 'I'm just proud about everything I've done in the last four weeks on grass at London. I leave Wimbledon, the court, with my head held really high because I did everything that I could. 'I played against someone who played an unbelievable game. So I'm just a little bit sad about losing, but with my head held really high.' Alcaraz said his rivalry with Sinner was great for the pair and also for tennis, which has had to endure the retirements of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray in recent years, with fellow great Novak Djokovic in the twilight of a glorious career. The young duo have now shared eight of the last nine Grand Slam titles, with each winning four. 'Every time we play each other, I think our level is really high. We don't see a level like this... I don't see any player playing against each other, having the level that we're playing when we face each other,' Alcaraz added. 'This rivalry, it's becoming better and better... we're playing in the finals of Grand Slams, finals of Masters and the best tournaments in the world. It's going to get better. 'I'm just really grateful for that because it gives me the opportunity to just give my 100 per cent every practice, every day, just to be better. The level that I have to maintain and I have to raise if I want to beat Jannik is really high.' Sinner's coach Darren Cahill admitted that while the Italian did not take any of his rivals for granted, he does pay extra attention to Alcaraz. 'Jannik watches more Carlos matches than he does anybody else because he's fascinated with the improvements that are coming in his game, and he's pushing us as coaches to make sure that he's improving as a tennis player,' Cahill said. Alcaraz said he had no doubt that Sinner would learn from his near 5½-hour loss at Roland Garros, where the Italian squandered three championship points, and hit back. 'I know he's a really nice player and a huge champion. Champions learn from their losses,' Alcaraz said. 'I knew from the beginning he was going to learn from that final and not make the same mistakes. The way he played today, it was really high. 'I wasn't surprised at all.' REUTERS
Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Straits Times
Jannik Sinner: Quiet man of tennis basks in the limelight
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrating after beating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the Wimbledon men's singles final at the All England Club in London on July 13. LONDON – Jannik Sinner is the quiet man of tennis who has become a big noise, burnishing his legacy on July 13 by winning his first Wimbledon title. The Italian beat his fierce rival Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the latest instalment of their captivating rivalry to claim his fourth Grand Slam at the age of 23. The pair are the new dominant forces in men's tennis, sharing the past seven Grand Slams between them as the memory of the 'Big Three' era fades. While Alcaraz is the flashy showman of the game, adored by the fans for his high-risk, high-reward tennis, Sinner stays ice-cold on the court and mild-mannered off it. His game is based on relentless power and accuracy from the baseline, resembling that of 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic. The Italian is getting used to life at the top, reaching his fourth successive major final at Wimbledon this year – a run that started with the 2024 US Open. Sinner defended his Australian Open title in Melbourne in January but his career was put on hold after that as he served a three-month ban for twice testing positive for banned anabolic steroid clostebol in 2024. Sinner has always maintained the product entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist, who had used a spray containing it to treat a cut. The World Anti-Doping Agency said 'Sinner did not intend to cheat' but that he would serve his suspension as he is responsible for the actions of his entourage. Sinner returned to the court in May, reaching the final of the Italian Open, where he was beaten by Alcaraz. Next on his schedule was the French Open and again he reached the title match, this time suffering heartbreak as Alcaraz came back from two sets down, saving three match points to defend his title. That gave the Spaniard an 8-4 lead in the rivalry between the pair and was his fifth straight win. But the tables were turned on July 13 as Sinner showed impressive mental strength to come back after losing the first set. Said the Italian: 'Emotionally I had a very tough loss in Paris. So I'm very happy that I held my nerves and yeah, it's an amazing feeling.' Sinner was born in German-speaking San Candido, in northern Italy, near the border with Austria. A career in professional tennis was not a given. He was a champion skier as a youngster and still enjoys the sport in the off-season. He was also a keen footballer. The right-hander, who stands at 1.91m, won his first title indoors in Sofia in 2020. The 2024 season was his breakthrough year as he collected his first Grand Slam, the Australian Open, and followed up with seven other titles, including the US Open. He became world No. 1 – and the first Italian to reach top spot – in June 2024. Sinner's superpower is his extraordinary ability to stay calm on court. 'I know he's just 23 years of age, but sometimes it feels like he's much older and wiser than what we are,' said his coach Darren Cahill. 'He's an incredible young man.' Sinner added: 'I don't think I'm at my best because at 23 I don't think you can be in your best shape ever. So hopefully I can keep improving.' Sinner makes no secret of the fact that he loves the job he has chosen. 'I'm very lucky because tennis started off a hobby when I was young, and now it becomes my job,' he said. 'In my mind it's still a hobby. I love to go on court and just play. There is no better place to do it than in big stadiums with packed crowd.' AFP, REUTERS
