by Jannik Sinner insisted that his heartache in Paris is the old story when he prepared for Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final.
Five weeks after the Spaniard saved three match points and repelled two sets in an epic five and a half-hour french open final, the big rivals will meet again on the Center Court.
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Sinner, who recovered from the loss by going home to northern Italy and shared BBQs and table tennis with his friends and family, said with a smile: “I think if it were a lot in my head, I would not be in the situation to play a final again.
“I am very happy to share the court with Carlos again. It will be difficult, I know that. But I’m looking forward to it.”
Sinner defeated a physically endangered Novak-Djokovic in the semifinals in the semifinals, after the two-time defending champion Alcaraz Taylor Fritz had better won to ensure that one of the two will win a seventh Grand Slam title in a row.
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It is the type of dominance that the big three from Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal achieved in their heyday, but sinners shrugged.
“You cannot compare what the Big Three have done for more than 15 years,” said the 23-year-old, who goes through a fourth Slam final in a row and can be the first Italian man or the first Italian woman to win a Wimbledon singles title.
Jannik Sinner hug Novak Djokovic after her semi -finals (John Walton/Pa)
“Six Grand Slams are one and a half years. It is not that big yet. Of course we are back in this position. This is the second Grand Slam in a row, which we have in the final and play each other, which is great from my side. I think it’s good for sport.
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“The more rivalities we have from now on, the better it is, because people want young players want to compete against each other. I am happy to be in this position, but let us see in the future. If we can do so for the next three or four years, people can think about it.”
Sinner and Alcaraz shared these six titles, but the Spaniard holds the psychological lead after not only winning in Roland Garros, but in the last five games.
Of the nine losses, the world’s sinners have had against Alcaraz since the beginning of 2024.
Carlos Alcaraz roared the victory over Taylor Fritz (Adam Davy/Pa)
Sinner hopes that this time he will be able to find an advantage and say: “I think we are developing as a player and we become better as competitors. Of course, they try to do something else.
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“You don’t want to be predictable on the pitch, so we will prepare it as best as possible. I think that if the match and the rhythm are so high, you also play a lot with your gut feeling or how you feel at that moment. Obviously, the surface is different.
“He is the favorite. He has won here twice in a row. He is back in the final. It is very difficult to hit him on grass, but I like these challenges. I like to head head and try to see what I can do and what I can achieve.”
Alcaraz goes to the final with a winning streak of 24 games from April, while he did not lose 20 competitions at Wimbledon.
Jannik Sinner considered Carlos Alcaraz in her only previous meeting on Gras (Adam Davy/Pa)
Interestingly, the last defeat he suffered in SW19 was against sinners in 2022.
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Alcaraz was impressed by what he saw from his rival in this fourteen day: “I only see that Jannik plays great tennis on grass. The movement on grass is the most difficult to get and at least the most important thing for me.
“And the movement that Jannik has on grass is incredible. He slips as if he were playing on tone from both legs. It’s just incredible.
“I am pretty sure that he will take many things from the French open finale that he will get better. He gets better physically, he gets better.”
Only Bjorn Borg has won the French Open and Wimbledon Double in the Open era in successive years, and Alcaraz cannot help but promote from its Paris Exploits.
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“Sometimes I still think of this moment,” he said. “It was the best match I’ve ever played.
“I am not surprised that he pushed me to the border. I expect it on Sunday. I’m only excited about it. I hope that I don’t have to be at the court for five and a half hours. If I have to, I will do it. But I think it will be great.”
