Jannik Sinner dethrones Carlos Alcaraz as Wimbledon champion

Qatar Tribune

2 days ago

London
Revenge proved a dish best served on grass for Jannik Sinner as he put his Paris heartbreak behind him to claim a first Wimbledon title on Sunday.
Only five weeks have passed since Carlos Alcaraz stunningly saved three match points in a French Open final fightback for the ages but his hopes of a third straight victory at the All England Club were dashed by his great rival.
This time it was world number one Sinner, who becomes the first Italian to win a Wimbledon singles title, that came from behind, claiming a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory in three hours and four minutes – nearly two-and-a-half hours quicker than their Roland Garros epic.
The victory, which Sinner celebrated by thrusting both arms aloft, puts their rivalry back on a knife edge, with the 23-year-old now trailing Alcaraz only by five slam titles to four and putting an end to a five-match losing streak against the Spaniard.
It is also Sinner's first slam title away from his favoured hard courts, while Alcaraz suffered a first major final defeat, unable to find the same magic that had brought him back from the brink on the clay.
A penny for the thoughts, meanwhile, of Grigor Dimitrov, who led Sinner by two sets to love in the fourth round only for his body to fail him. Perhaps the Italian was due a stroke of luck, and he has made the most of it in superb fashion.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince George and Princess Charlotte were joined in the Royal Box by A-list stars Keira Knightley, Matthew McConaughey and Nicole Kidman as well as seven former Wimbledon champions.
Alcaraz was certainly not holding back, slamming down a 136mph ace to start the match and hitting 139 in his second service game – a new record for the Spaniard, until he twice clocked 140 later in the contest.
Sinner struck the first blow, a wild Alcaraz forehand handing over the first break in the fifth game, but back came the second seed with three games in a row.
Soon that was four, with Alcaraz winning surely one of the best set-winning rallies seen on Centre Court: Sinner's 118mph second serve was returned with interest, Alcaraz angled a forehand out wide, his rival thumped a forehand into the corner only for the Spaniard to somehow conjure a backhand winner.
He stood with his finger pointed to his head as the crowd rose to acclaim another piece of tennis wizardry.
In four of the 22-year-old's run of victories against Sinner, he had lost the first set, so this was a big statement, but Alcaraz then threw in a poor game to start the second.
Sinner, who normally disguises his emotions as well as an Alcaraz drop shot, let out a loud shout of 'Let's go' when he saved a break point in the next game, the Italian determined to hold on to his advantage this time.
He was forced to delay his serve at a crucial moment two games later when a champagne cork nearly hit him, prompting boos from the crowd and a rebuke from British umpire Alison Hughes.
If Sinner did have Paris in his mind then serving for the set at 5-4 would have been a moment to tighten up but instead he produced a series of greatest hits, chasing down an Alcaraz drop shot, drilling a forehand winner down the line to bring up set point and then crunching another winner cross court.
Sinner missed two chances for an immediate break at the start of the third set following a pair of Alcaraz double faults but the match was starting to feel marginally on his racket.
He showed his improvisational skills with a tweener drop volley, and at 4-4 it was the world number one who made the breakthrough, a forehand powered into the corner leaving Alcaraz on the floor and helpless as a volley landed mid court.
And this time the serve was all Sinner needed to open up a potentially decisive advantage, with the Italian then moving a step closer by breaking again to lead 2-1 in the fourth set.
Alcaraz survived a couple of close service games and the crowd willed him to turn it around, roaring as Sinner coughed up two break points at 4-3. Not this time, though, said the Italian as he responded with four points in a row.
Moments later he was serving for the title – as he had in Paris – and creating three match points. He netted a backhand on the first but a 137mph serve on the second gave him his moment.