Latest news with #AlcarazSinner
Khaleej Times
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
'Tennis the winner' as Alcaraz and Sinner set for enduring rivalry
After producing one of the greatest Grand Slam finals of all time, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner served an explicit reminder they are the two main forces set to reign in men's tennis for years to come. In the first French Open final in more than three decades between two players aged 23 or under, Alcaraz and Sinner delivered undoubtedly the most electrifying chapter in an increasingly captivating rivalry. It was the first time the pair had met in a Grand Slam final and it didn't disappoint, with twists and turns, high drama and outrageous shot-making from start to finish. "This one was the most exciting match that I've played so far, without a doubt," said Alcaraz after winning the longest final in Roland Garros history. "Today I think the match had everything." The five-hour, 29-minute epic indeed had it all, as Alcaraz saved three championship points in the fourth set on his way to a fifth Grand Slam title in as many finals. That he reached the milestone at exactly the same age as Rafael Nadal -- 22 years, one month and three days -- was "destiny", according to Alcaraz. The manner in which he won was equally as striking as Nadal's fifth major at Wimbledon in 2008, when he beat Roger Federer in another of the sport's all-time great finals. Alcaraz was reluctant to rank his win against that match but suggested Novak Djokovic's triumph over Nadal at the 2012 Australian Open was even better than Sunday's match. "If people put our match on that table, it's a huge honour for me," said Alcaraz. "I don't know if it is at the same level as those matches. So I let the people talk about it if for them (they) are almost the same. "But I'm just happy to put our match and our names in the history of the Grand Slams, in the history of Roland Garros." The spectacle in Paris lent more weight to the comparisons that had already been made between the sport's new rivalry and those shared by Djokovic, Nadal and Federer. Sinner said it was hard to compare different generations but appreciated being a part of it all. "I think every rivalry is different," said the Italian. "It's good to see that we can produce also tennis like this, because I think it's good for the whole movement of tennis." Federer and Nadal were among those to congratulate the finalists for an extraordinary performance. "Three winners in Paris today: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and the beautiful game of tennis. What a match!" Federer wrote on social media. "What a great Roland Garros final," added Nadal. So gripping was the contest that Spain's footballers huddled around a mobile phone to watch before their Nations League final loss on penalties to Portugal. With Federer and Nadal retired, and Djokovic now 38, this removed any remaining doubt of the dawn of a new era and answered the question as to who will fill the void left by the 'Big Three'. "I cannot believe how lucky we are that we are going to have this rivalry as they have taken our sport to another level," seven-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander told TNT Sports. "I never thought I would say that after the big three with Rafa, Roger and Novak but it is actually faster than ever, it is at a level (where) it is hard to believe they can do this." Alcaraz and Sinner first faced off in the second round of the Paris Masters in 2021. Alcaraz has won eight of 12 meetings -- including the last five -- but both players have already contributed so much with the prime of their careers seemingly still ahead.
CNN
12 hours ago
- Sport
- CNN
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner's epic French Open final proved the future of men's tennis is in good hands
For five hours and 29 minutes on Sunday, tennis fans around the world were treated to one of the most absurd spectacles the sport has ever seen. In the longest French Open final – and the second longest grand slam final – in history, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner showed once again that tennis' future is in safe hands. With Novak Djokovic in the twilight of his career and Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal already hanging up their rackets, it would be entirely natural for fans to worry about the considerable void the three greatest players of all time will leave behind them. But as Alcaraz and Sinner crushed groundstrokes at each other on the iconic red clay of Roland Garros, displayed pinpoint precision with deft drop shots and volleys, and chased down each shot with a fierce determination, nobody was thinking about the Big Three and whether their sizeable shoes still needed filling. Instead, it was one of those special sporting moments in which everyone watching knew they were witnessing history. That Alcaraz ended up the victor – improbably coming back from two sets down for the first time and saving three championship points to eventually win 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2) – was largely immaterial to the final spectacle; Sinner winning that final-set championship tiebreak wouldn't have made the match any less remarkable. Even before Sunday's epic final, John McEnroe was so impressed with what he had seen from the pair in Paris that he made the case, though admitted it sounded 'semi crazy to say,' that either Alcaraz or Sinner would beat the Big Three at their peak. 'You took a look at them bringing their A-game right now – I'm saying Sinner and Alcaraz against Rafael Nadal on clay, you know, he won this 14 times – you would make a serious argument with both guys that they would be favored to beat Nadal, at his best,' he told TNT Sports. 'Now, do I think they're going to reach, 20, 24 titles either one of them? No. Because I think that plateau is so hard it's almost impossible – there's more depth in the game, bigger hitters, and more things happen. 'But these two guys right now, it's like when you watch the NBA and you say nobody could be better than Michael Jordan. The tennis level right now is higher than I've ever seen.' Boris Becker, another former world No. 1, said the current level of tennis shown by Alcaraz and Sinner is 'exactly the level' the Big Three played at. There is no doubt that an intense rivalry can elevate and even transcend a sport, and tennis has been blessed with no shortage of great rivalries over the past two decades. The drama and pageantry of the 2008 Wimbledon final between Nadal and Federer and the 2012 Australian Open final between Nadal and Djokovic elevated them both beyond the status of a mere tennis final. They are now singular events that beg the question: 'Where were you when…?' We could now be seeing the blossoming of tennis' next great rivalry, with the head-to-head between Alcaraz and Sinner now at an intriguing crossroads. Alcaraz leads 8-4 but, crucially, has now won five matches in a row against Sinner and currently appears to have the world No. 1's number. The Italian is 111-10 since the 2023 Beijing Open, but half of the losses are to the man from Murcia, including all of Sinner's three losses in his last 50 matches. But a large part of the fascination in watching two rivals battle it out for the duration of their careers comes from the twists and turns, as both parties figure out weaknesses and try to gain the upper hand. For example, between March 2013 and January 2014, Nadal beat Federer five times in a row, before the Swiss turned the tide to win the next six matches between the two giants from November 2015 to March 2019. The future of tennis' newest rivalry will be the subject of much debate between now and the start of Wimbledon at the end of the month, but it seems a fairly safe bet that Alcaraz and Sinner – who have now won the last six grand slams between them – will be battling it out at the top for a long time to come. Alcaraz found it hard to explain what it was like playing in a match of that standard, describing it as 'amazing.' 'To put it into words is really difficult,' he told Eurosport's Lesly Boitrelle and Àlex Corretja. 'Being two sets to love down against the No. 1 in the world, the level Jannik was playing at was unbelievable. 'It's my first time coming back from two sets to love down. Honestly, I just poured my heart into it, I just tried to keep going, not think about the result and just play my best tennis in the third and fourth, and then the fifth. 'The fifth set was just not giving up, it was just fighting and thinking point after point, and at the end of the fifth I was just playing with heart. Honestly, I don't know what I did to win this match. I'm really, really happy and proud with how I dealt with everything today.'
CNN
12 hours ago
- Sport
- CNN
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner's epic French Open final proved the future of men's tennis is in good hands
For five hours and 29 minutes on Sunday, tennis fans around the world were treated to one of the most absurd spectacles the sport has ever seen. In the longest French Open final – and the second longest grand slam final – in history, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner showed once again that tennis' future is in safe hands. With Novak Djokovic in the twilight of his career and Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal already hanging up their rackets, it would be entirely natural for fans to worry about the considerable void the three greatest players of all time will leave behind them. But as Alcaraz and Sinner crushed groundstrokes at each other on the iconic red clay of Roland Garros, displayed pinpoint precision with deft drop shots and volleys, and chased down each shot with a fierce determination, nobody was thinking about the Big Three and whether their sizeable shoes still needed filling. Instead, it was one of those special sporting moments in which everyone watching knew they were witnessing history. That Alcaraz ended up the victor – improbably coming back from two sets down for the first time and saving three championship points to eventually win 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2) – was largely immaterial to the final spectacle; Sinner winning that final-set championship tiebreak wouldn't have made the match any less remarkable. Even before Sunday's epic final, John McEnroe was so impressed with what he had seen from the pair in Paris that he made the case, though admitted it sounded 'semi crazy to say,' that either Alcaraz or Sinner would beat the Big Three at their peak. 'You took a look at them bringing their A-game right now – I'm saying Sinner and Alcaraz against Rafael Nadal on clay, you know, he won this 14 times – you would make a serious argument with both guys that they would be favored to beat Nadal, at his best,' he told TNT Sports. 'Now, do I think they're going to reach, 20, 24 titles either one of them? No. Because I think that plateau is so hard it's almost impossible – there's more depth in the game, bigger hitters, and more things happen. 'But these two guys right now, it's like when you watch the NBA and you say nobody could be better than Michael Jordan. The tennis level right now is higher than I've ever seen.' Boris Becker, another former world No. 1, said the current level of tennis shown by Alcaraz and Sinner is 'exactly the level' the Big Three played at. There is no doubt that an intense rivalry can elevate and even transcend a sport, and tennis has been blessed with no shortage of great rivalries over the past two decades. The drama and pageantry of the 2008 Wimbledon final between Nadal and Federer and the 2012 Australian Open final between Nadal and Djokovic elevated them both beyond the status of a mere tennis final. They are now singular events that beg the question: 'Where were you when…?' We could now be seeing the blossoming of tennis' next great rivalry, with the head-to-head between Alcaraz and Sinner now at an intriguing crossroads. Alcaraz leads 8-4 but, crucially, has now won five matches in a row against Sinner and currently appears to have the world No. 1's number. The Italian is 111-10 since the 2023 Beijing Open, but half of the losses are to the man from Murcia, including all of Sinner's three losses in his last 50 matches. But a large part of the fascination in watching two rivals battle it out for the duration of their careers comes from the twists and turns, as both parties figure out weaknesses and try to gain the upper hand. For example, between March 2013 and January 2014, Nadal beat Federer five times in a row, before the Swiss turned the tide to win the next six matches between the two giants from November 2015 to March 2019. The future of tennis' newest rivalry will be the subject of much debate between now and the start of Wimbledon at the end of the month, but it seems a fairly safe bet that Alcaraz and Sinner – who have now won the last six grand slams between them – will be battling it out at the top for a long time to come. Alcaraz found it hard to explain what it was like playing in a match of that standard, describing it as 'amazing.' 'To put it into words is really difficult,' he told Eurosport's Lesly Boitrelle and Àlex Corretja. 'Being two sets to love down against the No. 1 in the world, the level Jannik was playing at was unbelievable. 'It's my first time coming back from two sets to love down. Honestly, I just poured my heart into it, I just tried to keep going, not think about the result and just play my best tennis in the third and fourth, and then the fifth. 'The fifth set was just not giving up, it was just fighting and thinking point after point, and at the end of the fifth I was just playing with heart. Honestly, I don't know what I did to win this match. I'm really, really happy and proud with how I dealt with everything today.'
The Independent
12 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner ignite a rivalry that can change tennis forever
Witnessing tennis history - and the longest French Open final of all time - was both a privilege and the ultimate test of bladder endurance. But thank you, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, for the five hours and 29 minutes of astonishing athleticism, spell-binding shot-making, remarkable resilience and drama of the highest order to produce a match that will forever be in the discussion for the greatest of all time. I'm not going to pretend that I saw Bjorn Borg defeat John McEnroe in the 1980 Wimbledon final, while, on a personal level, Rafael Nadal 's epic triumph over Roger Federer and the fading light on Centre Court to win the 2008 Wimbledon final will forever be tinted by a certain nostalgia that heightens the emotions. But one of the joys of witnessing what Alcaraz and Sinner produced on Sunday and feeling every point is that it is, retrospectively, impossible to properly summarise all the moments of magic and astonishing twists, as the two young rivals pushed themselves and their electric rivalry into another galaxy. I have a Google Doc that will forever now be enshrined with the title 'Alcaraz and Sinner draft', where I was making game-by-game notes, piecing together a running narrative of the final, and formulating dual intros to cover both outcomes. It reached nearly 4,000 words - the majority of which was rendered completely useless by the time Alcaraz had saved three match points to stay alive and then Sinner climbed off the canvas to force the fifth-set tiebreak. Sitting inside Court Philippe-Chatrier, you could not help being swept up by the irresistible force of Alcaraz, as the 22-year-old raised his level and took off on a staggering surge that surely no player in the sport's history could subdue. Perhaps that's a big claim, but like his epic comeback over the most successful men's player of all time, Novak Djokovic in the 2023 Wimbledon final, another all-time classic, Alcaraz played his best tennis after being backed into a corner. It's a unique quality, and a gift: the deeper the hole Alcaraz was in, the harder he fought to dig himself out. With the crowd on his side and Alcaraz riding the wave of his own momentum, it felt as if the Spaniard was unlocking new shots. Afterwards, he could barely believe where it got him. 'The level was insane,' he said. But boy was it hard not to feel for the 23-year-old Sinner, who had pushed Alcaraz to go there. When he is across the net from Alcaraz, Sinner's own qualities are even more evident: the clinical precision of his crunching groundstrokes, the awesome, effortless power he produces on both sides, and the sharpness of his movement across the baseline. His more reserved, considered personality is reflected, too, against the fire of Alcaraz on the other side of the net. There is also an aura around Sinner, though, when he walks into a room - a focus that convinces you that he will be in a position to win every grand slam title over the next 10 years. Or at least there was in Paris before Alcaraz shattered it. The World No 1 was understandably broken when he came into the media theatre an hour or so after the final. 'This one hurts,' Sinner said. There is every chance that this defeat becomes a defining moment in Sinner's career and those closest to him will have an important role to play in the coming days. But the Italian, from a small German-speaking Alpine town near the northern border, is kept grounded by his family. His dad, who is a chef at a mountain restaurant, missed the French Open final due to work. 'We are just very simple family, you know,' Sinner said. 'Nothing of our success changes in the family.' He remains the dominant World No 1, who had won 31 consecutive grand slam slams before Alcaraz forced the fourth, and who has won 47 of the 50 matches he has played since August. The problem remains Alcaraz, who is responsible for all three of those defeats, and has now won five matches in a row against his young rival, including their first grand slam final. 'It's not going to be a turning point,' Alcaraz said, fiercely. 'I'm sure he's going to learn from this match, and he's going to come back stronger the next time we are going to face against each other. I'm pretty sure he's going to [do] his homework. I repeat: I'm not going to beat him forever.' It is another element of what makes the Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry so fascinating. The rest of the world's best players are scared of Sinner and believe they can beat Alcaraz if his focus drops. But Alcaraz always raises his game against Sinner. Like Djokovic chasing Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer after they dominated grand slam titles in the unprecedented era of the 'Big Three', Alcaraz and Sinner are going to push each other to new heights every time they play. 'For the sport it's something amazing to have these players after Roger and Rafa – and Novak is still playing, of course,' said Alcaraz's coach and former World No 2 Juan Carlos Ferrero. 'They know they have to play unbelievable tennis to beat the other guy and it's something that is going to help for sure each player to raise the level even more.' There is a long way to go before two young men can join Djokovic, Nadal and Federer at that table, but they have already absorbed some of the talents and qualities of the 'Big Three' to write themselves into the record books with one of the greatest matches ever played. Alcaraz has Federer's shot-making and Nadal's intense belief, Sinner has developed Djokovic's elasticity to defend the baseline, and both have the explosive power of attacking shot that is crucial in the modern game. They are playing even faster than the generation before them. 'I'm sure that we're going to see them lifting the big trophies quite often,' Djokovic said after his defeat to Sinner in the semi-finals. Between them, they already account for six grand slam titles in a row. At 22, Alcaraz already has five, becoming a five-time champion at the same age - to the day - as his idol Nadal. Now with two French Opens and two Wimbledons, Alcaraz comes alive on the natural surfaces, but Sinner, with two Australian Opens and the US Open, has a 21-match winning run at the hard-court grand slams. And like a thrilling, extended rally between Alcaraz and Sinner, switching between unreal pace and sublime touch, we will all watch open-mouthed as they go stride for stride in a world that is now their own.
Malay Mail
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Malay Mail
Tennis has new kings: Alcaraz and Sinner's five-hour epic cements future rivalry
PARIS, June 9 — After producing one of the greatest Grand Slam finals of all time, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner served an explicit reminder they are the two main forces set to reign in men's tennis for years to come. In the first French Open final in more than three decades between two players aged 23 or under, Alcaraz and Sinner delivered undoubtedly the most electrifying chapter in an increasingly captivating rivalry. It was the first time the pair had met in a Grand Slam final and it didn't disappoint, with twists and turns, high drama and outrageous shot-making from start to finish. 'This one was the most exciting match that I've played so far, without a doubt,' said Alcaraz after winning the longest final in Roland Garros history. Carlos Alcaraz in action during the longest final in Roland Garros history. — AFP pic 'Today I think the match had everything.' The five-hour, 29-minute epic indeed had it all, as Alcaraz saved three championship points in the fourth set on his way to a fifth Grand Slam title in as many finals. That he reached the milestone at exactly the same age as Rafael Nadal — 22 years, one month and three days — was 'destiny', according to Alcaraz. The manner in which he won was equally as striking as Nadal's fifth major at Wimbledon in 2008, when he beat Roger Federer in another of the sport's all-time great finals. Alcaraz was reluctant to rank his win against that match but suggested Novak Djokovic's triumph over Nadal at the 2012 Australian Open was even better than Sunday's match. 'If people put our match on that table, it's a huge honour for me,' said Alcaraz. 'I don't know if it is at the same level as those matches. So I let the people talk about it if for them (they) are almost the same. 'But I'm just happy to put our match and our names in the history of the Grand Slams, in the history of Roland Garros.' 'Taken tennis to another level' The spectacle in Paris lent more weight to the comparisons that had already been made between the sport's new rivalry and those shared by Djokovic, Nadal and Federer. Sinner said it was hard to compare different generations but appreciated being a part of it all. 'I think every rivalry is different,' said the Italian. Jannik Sinner said it was hard to compare different generations but appreciated being a part of it all.. — AFP pic 'It's good to see that we can produce also tennis like this, because I think it's good for the whole movement of tennis.' Federer and Nadal were among those to congratulate the finalists for an extraordinary performance. 'Three winners in Paris today: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and the beautiful game of tennis. What a match!' Federer wrote on social media. 'What a great Roland Garros final,' added Nadal. So gripping was the contest that Spain's footballers huddled around a mobile phone to watch before their Nations League final loss on penalties to Portugal. With Federer and Nadal retired, and Djokovic now 38, this removed any remaining doubt of the dawn of a new era and answered the question as to who will fill the void left by the 'Big Three'. 'I cannot believe how lucky we are that we are going to have this rivalry as they have taken our sport to another level,' seven-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander told TNT Sports. 'I never thought I would say that after the big three with Rafa, Roger and Novak but it is actually faster than ever, it is at a level (where) it is hard to believe they can do this.' Alcaraz and Sinner first faced off in the second round of the Paris Masters in 2021. Alcaraz has won eight of 12 meetings — including the last five — but both players have already contributed so much with the prime of their careers seemingly still ahead. 'Federer and Nadal played a couple of good finals, but nothing comes close to this,' said Wilander, who won the previous longest Roland Garros final in 1982. 'I thought: 'This is not possible — they're playing at a pace that is not human.' 'These are two of the best athletes the human race can put forward and they happen to be tennis players.' — AFP
