Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry now right up there with the greats
LONDON—It’s fitting that the Wimbledon final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner on Sunday represents the first time the same two men meet for that title right after playing for the French Open trophy since guys named Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal did so every year from 2006 to 2008.
That’s because the only real competition the No. 1-ranked Sinner and the No. 2-ranked Alcaraz face at the moment comes from each other—not anyone else currently on the men’s tennis tour—and the only comparisons that feel somewhat appropriate come by measuring them against the greatness of the Big Three.
Let’s be clear: It’s too early to put Alcaraz or Sinner in a class with Federer and Nadal—each retired with at least 20 Grand Slam titles—or Novak Djokovic, who is still going at age 38 with 24 majors. But as Djokovic himself put it: “We know they’re the dominant force right now.”
They have combined to win the last six majors, a streak that will grow to seven on Sunday. Go further back, and it’ll be nine of the past 12 Slams (the others in that span went to Djokovic). Alcaraz, a 22-year-old from Spain, already owns five such trophies; Sinner, a 23-year-old from Italy, has three.
Their combined age is the lowest for Wimbledon men’s finalists since Federer, just shy of 25, faced Nadal, 20, in 2006.
“We are still really young. So I just hope … [we] keep doing the right things for, I don’t know, the next, I don’t know, five, 10 years,” Alcaraz said, “just to [put] our rivalry [on] the same table as those players.”
He is on a 24-match unbeaten run currently, plus has won 20 in a row at Wimbledon as he pursues a third consecutive title.
Sinner is participating in his fourth consecutive major final, including victories at the US Open and the Australian Open.
“The anticipation for this final is big, is amazing,” Djokovic said.
Alcaraz vs. Sinner demands attention.
When Alcaraz fought back from a two-set deficit and erased three championship points to defeat Sinner in five sets spread across five hours, 29 minutes at Roland-Garros last month, there were immediate comparisons to what many consider the greatest men’s tennis match ever: Nadal’s win over Federer in five sets at the All England Club in 2008.
“It’s good for the sport,” said Sinner, who said his right elbow that was hurt in a fall in the fourth round and was covered by tape and an arm sleeve in his semifinal victory over Djokovic won’t be an issue on Sunday. “The more rivalries we have from now on, the better it is, because people want to see young players going against each other.”
Like Federer and Nadal, these two go about winning differently.
“Let’s hope it’s another beautiful match played at a very high level,” Sinner said, “and may the best man win.”
