World number one Jannik Sinner won his first Wimbledon title by wearing down Carlos Alcaraz in another high-quality Grand Slam final between the dominant forces of the men’s game.
Italy’s Sinner claimed a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory at the All England Club, avenging his brutal French Open defeat by Spanish world number two Alcaraz just 35 days ago.
Then, Sinner led by two sets and held three championship points before Alcaraz roared back to win a five-set classic lasting more than five hours.
Now, the 23-year-old has responded by taking two-time defending champion Alcaraz’s crown on the Centre Court grass, following another gripping contest that again showcased the pair’s shot-making, athleticism, and star power.
“It is so special,” Sinner said. “I’m living my dream.”
Sinner, who served a three-month doping ban earlier this year, has claimed the fourth Grand Slam title of his career and a first major victory not on a hard court.
A composed and clinical performance from the top seed ended Alcaraz’s 24-match winning streak.
The manner in which he served out victory from going to a break up at 3-1 in the fourth set—given his experience in Paris last month—was admirable.
There was a moment of knowing consternation among Sinner’s supporters when he missed a first match point, but he reset to take his second opportunity before dropping to his haunches at the net.
Sinner’s win also stopped 22-year-old Alcaraz from becoming only the fifth man in the Open era to win three consecutive Wimbledon titles.
Alcaraz said, “It is always difficult to lose, but first of all I have to congratulate Jannik again, adding
It is a really well-deserved trophy. He has been playing great tennis and will continue to be a great rival.”
What makes Sinner so special above all else is his mentality.
The man from the mountains in northern Italy regularly remains ice-cold in the most decisive matches—which is why his fumble against Alcaraz in Paris felt so surprising.
Little appears to faze the mild-mannered Italian—on or off court.
He was able to stay sanguine during the doping controversy that rocked the sport, and the manner in which he has moved on quickly from the brutal nature of his Roland Garros defeat has been impressive.
Sinner said during his on-court speech, “I had a very tough loss in Paris, but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter how you win or lose—you just have to understand what you did wrong.”
“We accepted the loss and kept working, and that’s why I’m holding this trophy.”
Sinner had shown more resilience over the Wimbledon fortnight by fighting through an elbow injury that needed an MRI scan.
However, he also had a huge slice of fortune. Trailing by two sets to love in his fourth-round match against Grigor Dimitrov, Sinner advanced when his luckless opponent retired with a pectoral injury.
Sinner and Alcaraz have created a duopoly in the men’s game over the past two seasons, forging a gripping rivalry that is starting to fill the void left by the sport’s aging superstars.
This was another demonstration of how the duel—which the ATP Tour has long pinned its hopes on replacing the Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal-Novak Djokovic gap—could be a blockbuster for years to come.
Few would have confidently predicted which way their first meeting in the Wimbledon final would go.
Alcaraz, having won 35 of his 38 grass-court matches, had the greater pedigree on the surface, but Sinner had won their sole previous encounter at Wimbledon in 2022.
Alcaraz had made relatively slow starts with his service games over the past fortnight, which contributed to the Spaniard facing a total of 48 break points compared to Sinner’s 17.
