The level of shot-making and athleticism produced by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as their fast-developing rivalry continued in the men’s singles final was a joy to behold.
Except, perhaps, if you’re one of the guys trying to usurp them. The pair look set to maintain a stranglehold on the men’s game for the foreseeable future.
Certainly it will take something extraordinary for somebody to prevent Sinner or Alcaraz winning the US Open and sweeping the Grand Slams for the second successive season.
Swiatek joins all-court greats
Few would have picked Iga Swiatek pre-tournament as their women’s champion.
But the 24-year-old Pole has now won majors on all the surfaces after needing just 57 minutes to beat Amanda Anisimova in a scarcely believable 6-0 6-0 win.
Despite a difficult year where she dropped down the rankings, Swiatek has reasserted some of her authority after becoming the youngest woman since Serena Williams in 2002 to win Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces.
Time catching up with Djokovic
In truth, this has been apparent for a while. Novak Djokovic has not won a major title since the 2023 US Open and it was widely accepted Wimbledon represented his best chance of breaking the Sinner-Alcaraz duopoly.
The 38-year-old Serb continues to defy the ageing process but losing to Sinner in the semi-finals – ending his bid for a standalone record 25th major title – was another indication he doesn’t have enough in the tank to match the young guns.
Humans versus technology
The ongoing topic of humans being made redundant by technology spilled over into Wimbledon.
The All England Club replaced line judges with an electronic line-calling system, but had to apologise after the technology was turned off in error and missed three calls in one game.
Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash considers how the future of men’s tennis could look after Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz to win the grass-court Grand Slam title.
“Time to clear the heir, papa” says the front page of The Sun, reporting on the so-called “peace summit” between aides of the King and Prince Harry.
The Mirror also leads with what it’s called a “royal exclusive” with the headline “King backs Harry peace talks”, however, the paper warns “huge obstacles remain”. The Princess of Wales is pictured alongside her daughter, Princess Charlotte, fanning themselves in the royal box at Wimbledon on Sunday. They watched Jannick Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in four sets in the men’s final.
A beaming photo of the Wimbledon champion clutching his new Wimbledon trophy, features on the Guardian’s front page, with the headline “Sinner’s redemption”. Their main story says former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has warned of an “ethnic cleansing” plan for Gaza, with Olmert suggesting that a proposed humanitarian city in Rafah would be tantamount to a “concentration camp”. Israel has previously denied all allegations of ethnic cleansing in Gaza.
Sinner is pictured kissing the golden Wimbledon trophy on the front page of The Times. Its lead story is a warning from the governor of the Bank of England that it could make larger cuts to interest rates if the UK jobs market slows down.
“Tax raid looms for middle classes”, warns The Daily Telegraph. The paper quotes Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander promising not put up taxes for people on “modest incomes” and saying Labour would base its policy on “fairness”.
“Germany urges weapons suppliers to speed up European rearmament” reads the The Financial Times’ headline. The FT has interviewed German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, who is calling for weapons production to increase as Europe seeks to deter Russian aggression. The front page image shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shaking hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, after pledging “unconditional support” for the Kremlin’s goals in the war in Ukraine over the weekend.
The Metro states “Politicians? We don’t trust any of you”. Its lead story says 90% of people questioned in a poll said they had little to no faith in the political class. The most common word they used to describe the UK was “broken”.
The Daily Mail’s headline is “Labour’s doctors strike hypocrisy” as it turns its attention to the proposed strike by resident doctors. The paper says the government’s Employment Rights Bill would make future strikes even easier with the repealing of the minimum turnout requirement for trade unions. A government spokesperson told the paper the bill represents the “biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation”.
The headline of the Daily Express warns “‘Toothless’ new sex abuse laws won’t protect children”. The Joint Committee on Human Rights – made up of MPs and peers – has said a proposed new Crime and Policing Bill could be “ineffective” if there are no criminal repercussions for people who fail to report child sex abuse. A Home Office spokesperson told the paper the introduction of mandatory reporting will mark a “significant step” in strengthening child protection by creating “a culture of openness”.
The i newspaper leads with a “measles surge”. It reports doctors and health chiefs are warning that cases in the UK could rise as people return from holidays in France, Spain and Italy. It is after a child died at a Liverpool hospital after contracting the disease.
“School jollydays” exclaims the Daily Star. It reports there will be a fourth heatwave, with temperatures predicted to hit 31C later this month.
Sinner has also had to overcome challenges off the court.
Such has been the consistency he has shown over the past 12 months, Sinner has kept hold of the world number one ranking despite serving a three-month doping ban earlier this year.
Sinner accepted the ban after the World Anti-Doping Agency found he “did not intend to cheat” but still bore responsibility for the negligence of members of his team after he twice tested positive for banned substance clostebol in March 2024.
That ban was served between the successful defence of his Australian Open title in January and the French Open – now the only trophy separating him from becoming just the ninth man to achieve a career Grand Slam.
Wimbledon women’s champion Iga Swiatek also served a one-month ban after testing positive for heart medication trimetazidine, which the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted was caused by contamination.
“His year has been challenging for everybody involved,” Cahill said on Sunday.
“The person that you see on the tennis court – this focus and attention to detail – is not the same guy off the court.
“He’s a fun-loving guy who is joking around all the time and loves the company of the people around him.
“He’s cooking, messing up stuff, making mistakes all over the place, and we’re laughing about it.”
With Sinner’s career now intertwined with that of Alcaraz, they appear destined to push each other to greater heights – and Sinner has proved beyond doubt that he is up to the task.
Top seed Sinner defeats Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the final to win his first Wimbledon and fourth Grand Slam title.
Wimbledon, United Kingdom – It has taken Jannik Sinner just five weeks to exact revenge against Carlos Alcaraz in their blockbuster tennis rivalry and win the men’s singles final at Wimbledon 2025.
The top-seeded Italian overcame the emotional and physical toll of losing the French Open final to Alcaraz by defeating the Spaniard 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on Sunday.
Sinner turned the tables on the defending champion by overcoming a loss in the first set – and some early nerves – to win his fourth Grand Slam trophy and first on the famous Centre Court at SW19.
Two-time champion Alcaraz began the final with a strong service game, pouncing on Sinner’s nervous start in his first appearance in a Wimbledon final. The 22-year-old went on to break the world number one’s serve and wrap up the first set in 45 minutes, deploying a serve-and-volley style strategy to win the crucial points.
Sinner dug deep in the second set and was back to his ice-cool self as he applied the brakes on Alcaraz’s attempt for a three-peat of titles at Wimbledon.
The quality of tennis went up a notch as the 23-year-old matched Alcaraz shot for shot and left the crowd gasping at every other point.
Sinner didn’t waste much time in breaking back against the defending champion by deploying an excellent service game to keep Alcaraz at bay, altering his speed and delivery to ensure his opponent scurried for every point. He was soon on level terms.
The third set was, by far, the highlight of the final as both players threw everything at each other with sensational court coverage, scintillating aces, sublime drop shots and even a “tweener”.
It was end-to-end action up until the eighth game, when Alcaraz slipped up by the barest of margins but ended up having his serve broken. Sinner wasted no time to bring out his ruthless streak and finish off Alcaraz’s chances in the set.
Leading the final two sets to one, Sinner stepped on the gas in the fourth and ensured there would be no late Alcaraz comeback as so memorably occurred in the French Open final on June 8.
He broke Alcaraz in the third game, and the stoic Italian showed a glimpse of emotion as he looked towards his team in the stands.
Crowd favourite Alcaraz had most of the capacity crowd on Centre Court behind him, including King Felipe of Spain, but it was not enough to help him stay in the final for one more set as Sinner sealed the trophy with a faultless service game.
Jannik Sinner celebrates winning the men’s singles title at Wimbledon [Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP]
‘Dream of a dream’
With joy and disbelief etched on his face, and with the match now over, Sinner raised both arms with a jolt before squatting down on the court to pat the grass with the other hand, all the while hiding the emotions on his face.
Not only did he avenge his French Open final loss with a fourth major trophy, Sinner also moved to within one Grand Slam title of his great contemporary Alcaraz.
The two-time Australian Open champion has become the first man from Italy to win the Wimbledon title, a feat he described as akin to “a dream of a dream”.
“I had never thought of being in this position [to win Wimbledon] growing up so far away from here,” an unusually emotional Sinner said on court after the match.
“I had a very tough loss in Paris, but I tried to understand what I did wrong and kept working [hard].”
Sinner has now won Grand Slam titles on two of the three surfaces and said he was happy to have held his nerve while serving for the championship in the fourth set. Alcaraz, ever the gracious opponent in defeat as in victory, kept up his applause for Sinner even after returning to his chair after losing the match. But he said it was a difficult loss.
“I love playing here and I’m going to be back for sure,” the Spaniard told his fans on Centre Court.
Both players walked off to a loud round of applause after providing yet another enthralling glimpse into another “golden era” of tennis.
Sinner and Alcaraz have won all seven Grand Slam finals since the beginning of 2024, and it will only be a matter of eight weeks until tennis fans can hope to see the next instalment of their flourishing rivalry at the last Grand Slam of the year, the US Open.
Jannik Sinner, left, poses with the men’s singles trophy alongside Carlos Alcaraz with the runner-up trophy [Clive Brunskill/Getty Images]
LONDON — Jannik Sinner defeated two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to win his first Wimbledon championship and reverse the result of their epic French Open final five weeks ago.
The No. 1-ranked Sinner earned his fourth Grand Slam title overall, moving him one away from No. 2 Alcaraz’s total as the two no-longer-rising-but-firmly-established stars of the game separate themselves from the rest of the pack in men’s tennis.
This victory also allowed Sinner, a 23-year-old Italian, to put an end to several streaks for Alcaraz, a 22-year-old Spaniard.
Alcaraz had won the past five head-to-head matches between the pair, most recently across five sets and nearly 5 1/2 hours at Roland-Garros on June 8. Sinner took a two-set lead in that one, then held a trio of match points, but couldn’t close the deal, allowing Alcaraz to improve to 5-0 in major finals.
Jannik Sinner holds the trophy after winning the Wimbledon men’s singles final against Carlos Alcaraz in London Sunday.
(Kirsty Wigglesworth / Associated Press)
“I had a very tough loss in Paris. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter how you win or you lose the important tournaments. You just have to understand what you did wrong. Trying to work on that — that’s exactly what we did. We tried to accept the loss and then just kept working,” Sinner said Sunday. “And this is, for sure, why I’m holding this trophy here.”
This time, he didn’t waver, asserting himself in a match that featured moments of terrific play by both men, but also the occasional lapses — and one memorable, brief, interruption right before a Sinner serve when a Champagne cork came flying out of the stands and settled on the turf.
With Prince William and Princess Kate in the Royal Box, along with King Felipe VI of Spain, Alcaraz stepped into the sunlight bathing Centre Court as the owner of a career-best 24-match unbeaten run. He had won 20 matches in a row at the All England Club, including victories against Novak Djokovic in the 2023 and 2024 finals.
“It’s difficult to lose,” Alcaraz said. “It’s always difficult to lose.”
The last man to beat him at Wimbledon? Sinner, in the fourth round in 2022.
So this served as a bookend win for Sinner, who proved what he kept telling anyone who asked: No, there would be no carryover from his heartbreak in Paris. Hard to imagine, though, that that collapse wasn’t on his mind at least a little on Sunday, especially when he faced two break points while serving at 4-3, 15-40 in the fourth set.
But he calmly took the next four points to hold there, and soon was serving out the win.
“Very happy that I [held] nerves,” Sinner said.
When it ended, Sinner put both hands on his white hat. After embracing Alcaraz at the net, Sinner crouched on court with his head bowed, then pounded his right palm on the grass.
Yes, Sinner put the French Open behind him in the best way possible and demonstrated that his matchups with Alcaraz could delight tennis fans for years to come.
“Really happy to be able to build a really good relationship off the court,” Alcaraz said, “but then a great rivalry on the court that makes me improve every day.”
Sinner told Alcaraz: “Thank you for the player you are. It’s so difficult to play against you.”
Jannik Sinner reacts after defeating Carlos Alcaraz to win the Wimbledon championship in London on Sunday.
(Kirsty Wigglesworth / Associated Press)
These two guys have divvied up the past seven Grand Slam trophies, and nine of the last 12.
Fittingly, this marked the first time the same two men faced off in the title matches on the clay at Roland-Garros and the grass at the All England Club in the same year since Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal did it in 2006, 2007 and 2008. It hadn’t happened for more than a half-century before that trilogy.
Sinner has participated in each of the last four major finals, a stretch that began with a triumph at the U.S. Open last September and was followed by another at the Australian Open this January.
Wearing the same tape job and white arm sleeve to protect his right elbow that he has been using since falling in the opening game of his fourth-round win on Monday, Sinner never showed any issues, just as he had not while eliminating 24-time major champion Djokovic in the semifinals.
Sinner, 23, and 22-year-old Alcaraz have created a duopoly in the men’s game over the past two seasons.
Because of his brilliance, Sinner has remained the world number one – despite serving a three-month doping ban this year in a case which rocked the sport.
The pair have gained a grip on the Grand Slam tournaments, winning the past six majors between them.
Their epic French Open battle was another demonstration of how the absorbing rivalry – which the ATP Tour has long pinned its hopes on filling the Federer-Nadal-Novak Djokovic void – could be a blockbuster for years to come.
“You cannot compare what the ‘Big Three’ did for 15-plus years. [Our rivalry] is not that big yet,” said three-time Grand Slam champion Sinner, who is aiming for his first non-hard court major.
“This is the second consecutive Grand Slam that we are in the final and playing each other – I believe it’s good for the sport.
“The more rivalries we have from now on, the better it is, because people want to see young player going against each other.”
The quality, excitement and tension of the recent Roland Garros final accelerated interest in the pair.
Alcaraz fighting back from two sets down – and having saved three championship points – to win a five-setter in over five hours has whetted the appetite for Wimbledon.
The five-time major champion expects to be pushed “to the limit” again at the All England Club.
“It’s going to be a great day, a great final. I’m just excited about it,” he said.
“I just hope not to be five and a half hours again. But if I have to, I will.”
Wimbledon, United Kingdom – Expectations will run high, and so will the temperatures in southwest London, when Carlos Alcaraz steps on Centre Court to defend his Wimbledon title against Jannik Sinner on Sunday.
The next instalment of an enthralling rivalry between the top two players in men’s tennis will come under the limelight once again at one of the biggest stages in the game – the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club – on a hot afternoon in the United Kingdom’s capital.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Alcaraz expects to be pushed to the limit by world number one Sinner in a meeting that has already drawn comparisons with the great Wimbledon finals of the modern era.
“I expect to be on the limit, to be on the line [in the final],” Alcaraz said while speaking to the media moments after Sinner’s near-faultless semifinal 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win over Novak Djokovic on Friday.
A few hours earlier, the Spaniard had booked a spot in his third consecutive Wimbledon final with a resilient performance against Taylor Fritz, which brought him a 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) win.
It will be the 13th on-court meeting between the two, and their second Grand Slam final in the space of five weeks.
Their duel in the French Open final lasted five hours and 29 minutes and added fuel to the fiery-yet-friendly rivalry between the young tennis stars.
Alcaraz knows his opponent all too well and expects nothing short of another spectacle.
“Whatever Jannik has is because he has learned from everything – he just gets better after every match, every day,” Alcaraz said of the top seed.
The Spaniard said he expected Sinner to be in better shape mentally and physically for the Wimbledon final, but that he was not looking forward to another hours-long match.
“I just hope not to be five and a half hours on court again. But if I have to, I will.”
Meanwhile, Sinner – the tall, stoic and speedy Italian who stands between Alcaraz and a chance to become only the fifth man to win three straight Wimbledon titles – believes beating the holder will be “very tough”.
“I’m very happy to share the court with Carlos once again. It’s going to be difficult, I know that,” Sinner said on Friday.
The Australian Open champion said he loves playing Grand Slam finals – Sunday’s will be his fifth in two years.
“I always try to put myself in these kinds of situations that I really love. Sundays at every tournament are very special.”
The 23-year-old from northern Italy termed Alcaraz as the favourite, given his record at the tournament and on grass courts.
“He is the favourite. He won here the last two times. He’s again in the final. It’s very tough to beat him on grass, but I like these challenges.”
Alcaraz and Sinner after their epic French Open final [File: Susan Mullane/Imagn Images via Reuters]
‘Fire vs ice’
Out of the 12 occasions that both players have met, four have been at Grand Slams, but this is only their second meeting in the final.
The pair’s only other meeting at Wimbledon came in the fourth round in 2022, when Sinner won 6-1, 6-4, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3. Alcaraz, however, brushed aside the reference by saying that both men are changed players from what they were three years ago.
“We’re completely different players on grass and on all surfaces.”
The 22-year-old from Murcia, in southeastern Spain, will be buoyed by his 5-0 record against Sinner in the past two years.
Despite Alcaraz’s success against his nemesis, it is Sinner who has consistently topped the men’s rankings by racking up regular wins and points on the ATP circuit.
All things considered, there is not much that separates the two ahead of their highly anticipated match.
Just ask Djokovic.
While the 24-time Grand Slam champion picked Alcaraz due to his past success at Wimbledon, Djokovic predicted “a very close match-up, like they had in Paris” when asked to choose a winner.
“I think I will give a slight edge to Carlos because of the two titles he’s won here and the way he’s playing and the confidence he has right now, but it’s just a slight advantage, because Jannik is hitting the ball extremely well.”
It is not just their contrasting styles of play – Sinner relies on his baseline game and shot speed, while Alcaraz likes to cover the court with his nimble footwork and excellent coverage – but also their on-court personalities that set the two apart while making them an engaging pair to watch.
Before the French Open final, Alcaraz said in an interview that a “fire vs ice” analogy fits them perfectly.
“I guess you can say I am like fire because of the way I react on court and show emotions, while Jannik remains calm,” the Spaniard said with his trademark smile.
Alcaraz is never shy of showing his emotions on court [File: Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters]
In the shadow of the greats
For the fans, though, the pair offer another chance to pick sides and look forward to tennis tournaments that could pit the two against each other.
“It’s a dream final,” Catherine Shaw, a tennis fan who watched both the men’s semifinals on Centre Court, told Al Jazeera.
“They are the next big thing when it comes to tennis rivalries, so it’s exciting times for tennis fans.”
Stepping out in the shadows of some of the greatest players and rivals – Stefan Edberg vs Ivan Lendl, Bjorn Borg vs John McEnroe, Andre Agassi vs Pete Sampras and Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer – the young players will have big shoes to fill.
Both are aware of the weight their match-up carries but refuse to be compared with their heroes just yet.
“I think the things that we are doing right now are great for tennis,” Alcaraz said ahead of the final.
“We just fight to engage more people to watch tennis. We’re fighting for tennis to be bigger, as all the tennis players are doing.
“For me, it’s sharing the big tournaments with Jannik, or just playing in the finals of the tournaments… We’re still really young.
“I hope to keep doing the right things for the next five to 10 years, so our rivalry is on the same table as those players.”
Sinner and Alcaraz will meet again on the iconic Centre Court at Wimbledon after their meeting in 2022 [File: Hannah Mckay/Reuters]
Who: Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner What: Wimbledon 2025 men’s singles final Where: Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom When: Sunday, July 13, starting at not before 4pm local (15:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 1:30pm local (12:30 GMT) in advance of our live text commentary stream.
For Italy’s Jannik Sinner, Sunday’s Wimbledon final offers a chance of redemption; for Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, it is an opportunity to join an elite club of men who have won the title three years in succession.
There are many other plot lines, but above all, the showdown will help to cement a rivalry that could dominate tennis for a decade.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the final.
Who did Alcaraz and Sinner beat in their semifinals?
The Spaniard overcame American Taylor Fritz in a four-set win in the first semifinal on Friday.
The pair met in a mesmeric clash last month in the longest-ever French Open final. The match, which 22-year-old Alcaraz won at Roland-Garros, is being touted as one of the greatest of all time.
Between them, Alcaraz and Sinner, a year older than his Spanish opponent, have shared the last six Grand Slam titles.
What happened in the French Open final between Alcaraz and Sinner?
The Spaniard came back from two sets down and saved three match points on his way to a fifth Grand Slam title, in the process taking his head-to-head record over Sinner to 8-4, including winning all of the last four.
It was a painful defeat for world number one Sinner, but he has not had to wait long to try to set the record straight.
2 – Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are just the second pair in the Open Era to meet in the Men’s Singles final at Wimbledon and Roland Garros in a season, after Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (2006-08). Rivalry. #Wimbledon | @Wimbledon@atptour@ATPMediaInfopic.twitter.com/NsfMc7Tw2Y
Sinner’s three Grand Slam titles have all come on hard courts, two in Melbourne and one in New York.
What titles has Alcaraz won?
Alcaraz’s major titles have come on all the sport’s surfaces, suggesting a more complete game.
The Spaniard, who is on a 24-match winning streak, has claimed both the Wimbledon and French Open titles twice, while also lifting the winner’s trophy at the US Open.
What chance does Sinner have against Alcaraz on grass?
Sinner’s performances against Ben Shelton in the quarters and Djokovic in the semis show just how suited his game is to grass.
His laser-like ground strokes, powerful serve and his ability to turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye were all on display, and Alcaraz knows he faces a challenge every bit as tough as Roland-Garros on Centre Court on Sunday.
Jannik Sinner of Italy in action against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during the men’s semifinal on day twelve at Wimbledon [File: Visionhaus via Getty Images]
Have Alcaraz and Sinner met on grass before?
The only other time they have met on grass was at Wimbledon in 2022 when Sinner won their last-16 clash in four sets.
Who else has won a Wimbledon three-peat?
Should Alcaraz prevail, he would join Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Djokovic as the only men to win the Wimbledon title three years in a row, and he would also surpass Nadal’s two Wimbledon crowns.
How have Alcaraz and Sinner fared at Wimbledon 2025
Alcaraz flirted with a shock first-round defeat against Italian Fabio Fognini, needing five sets. Sinner trailed by two sets against Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round after hurting his elbow, but was given a reprieve when the Bulgarian retired injured.
Sinner, the third Italian to reach a Wimbledon singles final after Matteo Berrettini in 2021 and Jasmine Paolini last year, has looked unhindered by his elbow despite wearing a compression sleeve on his right arm in his last two matches.
“I think we are handling this small problem at the moment very well,” he said.
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain serves against Taylor Fritz of the United States during the men’s Singles semifinal on day 11 at Wimbledon [File: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]
Stat attack – Alcaraz
Alcaraz, at 22 years 56 days, has become the third-youngest player in the Open Era to reach consecutive men’s singles finals at both Wimbledon and Roland Garros, after Bjorn Borg and Rafael Nadal (22 years 20 days).
Stat attack – Sinner
Only three players in the Open Era have conceded fewer games en route to a men’s singles final at Wimbledon than Sinner (56) – Roger Federer (52, 2006), Jimmy Connors (54, 1975) and John McEnroe (54, 1982).
How much will the Wimbledon men’s singles winner be paid?
This year’s winner will take home $4.05m, and the runner-up will leave with $2.05m. Last year’s prize was $3.64m.
What time does the men’s singles final start?
The start time for the final on Sunday will be fluid depending on the duration of matches earlier in the day.
The organisers, however, issued the advisory that the match will not start before 4pm at Wimbledon (15:00 GMT).
Djokovic’s fitness has been and will always be extraordinary.
He is aiming to become the oldest Grand Slam singles champion in the Open era. Ken Rosewall was 37 when he won the last of his eight major titles, while the now-retired Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were 36 when they last triumphed.
Djokovic has reached the semi-finals of all three Grand Slams this year. He has beaten players above him in the rankings, players who supposedly have the advantage of youth over him. And he looked superb at times during his Wimbledon run: the serve firing, the feet gliding into the corners.
But he has to contend with Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who will leave here having carved up the past sevenGrand Slams between them, and will inevitably recover quicker than Djokovic.
“It’s tough for me to accept because I feel like when I’m fit, I can still play really good tennis. I’ve proven that this year,” Djokovic said.
“Playing best-of-five, particularly this year, has been a real struggle for me physically. The longer the tournament goes, the worse the condition gets.
“I have to play Sinner or Alcaraz. These guys are fit, young, sharp. I feel like I’m going into the match with the tank half-empty.
“It’s just not possible to win a match like that.”
Djokovic considered withdrawing but did not – and at 3-0 up on Sinner in the third set, with a point for a double break, he would have felt vindicated.
But Sinner increased his intensity, putting more power behind his shots, and Djokovic won just one more game from then on.
Jannik Sinner has crushed Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon semifinals to set up the latest installment of his gripping rivalry with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday’s final.
The world number one is through to his fourth successive Grand Slam title match – and his first at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club – after a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 demolition on Centre Court on Friday.
The 23-year-old will be desperate to avenge his painful French Open defeat against world number two Alcaraz after squandering three championship points in last month’s epic Roland-Garros final.
Sinner and Alcaraz are the undisputed new kings of men’s tennis, claiming the past six majors between them.
Defeat on a baking Centre Court means seven-time champion Djokovic, who was apparently not 100 percent fit, must wait for another shot at a record 25th Grand Slam title.
It is the first time he has failed to reach the Wimbledon final since 2017, and he has come up short in his bid to equal Roger Federer’s men’s record of eight Wimbledon titles.
“It’s a tournament I always watched when I was young on the television, and I would have never imagined that I can play here, you know in the finals, so it was amazing,” said Sinner.
“From my side, I served very well today. I felt great on court; I was moving really well today.
“We saw in the third set that he was a bit injured. He’s been in a very difficult situation, but I tried to stay calm, to play the best tennis I can.”
Italy’s Sinner was still wearing a white protective sleeve after injuring his elbow in a nasty fall during a fourth-round match against Grigor Dimitrov.
Djokovic also came into the contest, watched by Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio, with questions over his fitness after tumbling to the turf late in his quarterfinal victory against Flavio Cobolli.
Top seed Sinner broke Djokovic in the third game, unleashing a barrage of relentlessly accurate groundstrokes to wear the sixth seed down.
The Serb, 38, wilted under the onslaught in the ninth game as Sinner converted his third set point.
Sinner did not let up at the start of the second set, breaking for a 2-0 lead to tighten his grip on the match.
Djokovic was struggling to gain a foothold but held for 3-1 to roars from the crowd, desperate to witness a classic battle.
Chants of “Nole” rang around the stadium as fans tried to lift Djokovic. But he was powerless to prevent Sinner from opening up a 5-2 lead.
He saved a set point on his own serve, but that merely delayed the inevitable as Sinner wrapped up the set with only 69 minutes on the clock.
Djokovic received treatment from the trainer between sets on the upper part of his left leg, apparently on the area he hurt in the match against Cobolli.
He broke for the first time in the match as he suddenly found a new gear, but was pegged back to 3-2 and roared in frustration at the changeover.
Novak Djokovic received medical treatment during a break in the semifinal [Henry Nicholls/AFP]
Struggling physically, Djokovic was broken again as Sinner sealed victory with his fourth match point.
Sinner, the reigning US Open and Australian Open champion, returned from a doping ban in May, losing the Italian Open final to Alcaraz before his collapse in the Roland-Garros showpiece.
Now he has a chance for revenge against the man who has won the past two Wimbledon titles and is the current top dog on grass.
“It is a huge honour for me to share the court once again with Carlos,” he said. “We try to push ourselves to the limit. He is for sure one of the players I look up to.
“I love watching him. I think you all guys agree on that, what kind of talent he is. But hopefully, it’s going to be a good match like the last one.”
Sinner trails 8-4 in their head-to-head meetings, losing the past five matches.
The Italian can take heart from beating Alcaraz in the Wimbledon fourth round in 2022, his rival’s last defeat at the All England Club.
LONDON — Jannik Sinner overwhelmed a not-fully-fit Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in the Wimbledon semifinals on Friday to set up a showdown for the championship against Carlos Alcaraz.
The No. 1-ranked Sinner’s victory at Centre Court put him in his first final at the All England Club.
No. 2 Alcaraz defeated Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (6) earlier Friday to move within one victory of a third consecutive Wimbledon title.
Sinner, a 23-year-old Italian, and Alcaraz, a 22-year-old Spaniard, now head into a rematch of their epic final at the French Open four weeks ago. Alcaraz won that one after fending off three match points.
“Hopefully it’s going to be a good match, like the last one,” Sinner said. “I don’t know if it’ll get better, because I don’t think it’s possible.”
Alcaraz is 5-0in Grand Slam title matches. Sinner owns three major trophies.
They are far and away the leaders of men’s tennis — and are at the height of their games right now. This will be the seventh straight major tournament won by one of them.
“The things we are doing right now are great for tennis,” Alcaraz said.
Alcaraz takes a career-best 24-match winning streak into Sunday. Sinner will be participating in his fourth consecutive Grand Slam final, after winning the U.S. Open last September and the Australian Open in January, before his heartbreaking defeat in Paris after wasting a two-set lead.
For the 38-year-old Djokovic, his lopsided loss brought an end to his latest bid for an eighth Wimbledon title — which would tie the men’s mark held by Roger Federer — and for an unprecedented 25th major trophy.
Djokovic was diminished two days after slipping and doing the splits on what he called a “nasty” and “awkward” fall in the last game of his quarterfinal victory. He canceled a practice session Thursday, had his upper left leg checked by a trainer during a medical timeout after the second set against Sinner and was simply unable to move the way the world is so used to seeing.
Right after that treatment, Djokovic grabbed a 3-0 lead in the third set and was a point from going up 4-0. But Sinner took six of the remaining seven games.
“We all saw, especially in the third set, that he was a bit injured,” Sinner said. “He’s been in a very difficult situation.”
When it ended, Djokovic picked up his equipment bags and was given a standing ovation as he headed toward the locker room. He paused to smile, wave and give a thumbs-up to the crowd.
Djokovic exited in the semifinals at all three Slams this season, including quitting after a set against Alexander Zverev because of an injured hamstring at the Australian Open.
There was more intrigue in Friday’s first semifinal, particularly when Fritz led 6-4 in the fourth-set tiebreake with two chances to force things to a fifth. But Alcaraz collected the next four points by forcing mistakes by Fritz to finish off the win, then rocked back on his heels, spread his arms wide and screamed.
“I’m just really proud about the way that I stayed calm,” Alcaraz said, “and (was) thinking clearly.”
With five-time Wimbledon champion Bjorn Borg and celebrities such as Anna Wintour and Leonardo DiCaprio looking on, Alcaraz marked some of his best shots with a shout of “Vamos!” or a raised index finger.
“A lot of the things that I would have changed, I think would have only helped me for a point or two, and then I think Carlos would have just made an adjustment,” said the fifth-seeded Fritz, the runner-up to Sinner at the U.S. Open, “and I don’t think it would have been a long-term answer.”
The temperature topped 85 degrees Fahrenheit, with no clouds interrupting the blue sky overhead to offer protection from the sun. For the second consecutive day, spectators had trouble in the heat; there were two brief delays in one second-set game while fans needed to be helped.
As everyone paying attention — including Sinner — knows by now, Alcaraz is not just any foe.
“He has so many different ways to win,” Fritz said, “and he’s very good at making adjustments.”
Defeat here for Djokovic calls into question whether he will ever achieve that elusive 25th major title.
Having ended Sinner’s last two Wimbledon runs – in the quarter-final last year and semis the year before – this time the shoe was on the other foot with the Italian in imperious form.
His game has often been compared to that of Djokovic and nowhere was that more evident than here as Sinner’s remarkable movement, consistency from the baseline and impeccable serving completely overawed the Serb.
The opening set passed by in a blur as Sinner served superbly with no sign of trouble from his elbow injury, picked up in the last 16 against Grigor Dimitrov.
Djokovic clung on in a tight game at 5-3, having gone down an early break, but Sinner was too good for him in the rallies – chasing down drop shots and anticipating his next move – and cruised to a one-set lead.
An early break of serve followed in the second set and a tense crowd, so used to seeing triumph after triumph from Djokovic, sensed he was in trouble.
Every point won off Sinner’s serve was celebrated enthusiastically, but they were few and far between as Djokovic created no break points in the opening two sets.
He called a medical timeout after losing the second, perhaps still struggling after a nasty slip at the end of his last-eight match against Flavio Cobolli.
Djokovic threatened a comeback in the third set, pouncing on a loose service game from Sinner to hand himself some momentum in the match.
But hopes of that were soon extinguished when Sinner rediscovered his serve to save double-break points then broke back when Djokovic’s drop shot fell back on his side of the net.
Sinner then showed incredible mental resilience by putting any potential threat of a repeat of the French Open final to bed when he broke again then impressively held serve on a five-game winning streak.
Djokovic did what he had to do and saved two match points on his own serve to force Sinner to serve it out, which he did at the second opportunity.
There was a huge round of applause for Djokovic as he left Centre Court and he raised a hand to all four corners – undoubtedly leaving many wondering how many more times he will be seen here.
LONDON — At least Novak Djokovic could laugh about it afterward.
Yes, he took what he called a “nasty slip” on his second match point at Wimbledon on Wednesday. Yes, he slid into the splits and ended up face-down on the Centre Court grass. And, yes, those sorts of things aren’t ideal for a 38-year-old seeking an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title.
Still, Djokovic dusted himself off and took the next two points, reaching the semifinals at the All England Club for a men’s-record 14th time with a 6-7 (6), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 victory over No. 22 seed Flavio Cobolli to set up a showdown against No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
“Well, I finished the match,” Djokovic said with a chuckle. “It did come at an awkward moment, but somehow I managed to … close it out. Obviously, I’m going to visit this subject now with my physio and hopefully all will be well in two days.”
That’s when he will take on three-time major champion Sinner, who didn’t play like someone dealing with an injured right elbow while using terrific serving and his usual booming forehand to beat 10th-seeded Ben Shelton 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4.
“I look forward to that,” said Djokovic, who has lost his last four meetings with Sinner, including in the French Open semifinals last month. “That’s going to be a great matchup.”
Novak Djokovic lies on the grass court after slipping and falling while attempting to return a shot Wednesday.
(Kin Cheung / Associated Press)
Djokovic is 2-0 against Sinner at Wimbledon, eliminating him in the 2023 semifinals and 2022 quarterfinals.
Against Cobolli — like Sinner, a 23-year-old from Italy — the late-match tumble was not the only thing that was far from smooth for Djokovic. He served for the opening set at 5-3 but was broken at love. He later was a point from owning that set before first-time major quarterfinalist Cobolli came through.
Djokovic did stretches and breathing exercises at changeovers. He whacked his shoe with his racket after one miss in the fourth set. He seemed bothered at times by the bright sun above Centre Court.
He also showed off all of his considerable skills, accumulating 13 aces, holding in 19 of 21 service games, using a drop-shot-lob-drop-shot combination to take one point and limiting his unforced errors to 22 — half as many as Cobolli.
On Friday, Djokovic will try to reach his seventh consecutive final at the All England Club and get one win closer to equaling Roger Federer’s men’s mark of eight trophies there. The other men’s semifinal is two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who defeated Djokovic in the 2023 and 2024 finals, against Taylor Fritz.
Against Shelton at No. 1 Court, Sinner wore a white sleeve on his right arm with strips of tape visible underneath — one above the elbow, one below it — after he was hurt when he fell in the opening game of his fourth-round match against Grigor Dimitrov on Monday.
Sinner, the runner-up to Alcaraz at Roland-Garros, had an MRI exam on Tuesday and initially canceled a practice session that day but did hit some balls in a 20-minute session at an indoor court later.
“When you are in a match with a lot of tension, you try to not think about it,” Sinner said. “It has improved a lot from yesterday to today.”
He played as though nothing were amiss, winning 27 of 29 service points in the first set while accumulating a total of 15 winners to just one unforced error.
“You can’t go into a match thinking that the guy’s not going to be at 100%,” Shelton said. “His ball was coming off pretty big today, so I didn’t see any difference.”
Shelton stayed right with him until 2-all in the tiebreaker. That’s when Sinner surged in front, helped by a double fault and four consecutive forehand errors by Shelton.
At the outset of the second set, Shelton finally made some headway in a return game, getting a pair of break points at 15-40.
On one, Sinner produced a forehand winner. On the other, he pounded a 132 mph serve — his fastest of the match — and rushed forward, getting to deuce when Shelton’s backhand pass attempt found the net. That was followed by a 118 mph ace and a 125 mph service winner.
Those were Shelton’s only break chances.
A first for Swiatek
Iga Swiatek reached the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over 19th-seeded Liudmila Samsonova that went from a stroll to a bit of a struggle in the late stages Wednesday.
“Even though I’m in the middle of the tournament, I already got goosebumps after this win,” said Swiatek, who will face unseeded Belinda Bencic on Thursday for a spot in the final. “I’m super happy and super proud of myself.”
Bencic beat No. 7 Mirra Andreeva 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal since the 2019 U.S. Open. The other semifinal is No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka against No. 13 Amanda Anisimova; they advanced with wins Tuesday.
Italian top seed Jannik Sinner did not let an elbow injury hamper his performance as he beat American opponent Ben Shelton to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals.
Sinner, 23, who wore a sleeve on his right elbow, occasionally shook out his arm in a 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 6-4 victory but the injury did not hold him back.
The three-time Grand Slam champion had hurt himself after falling in the early part of Monday’s fourth-round match against Grigor Dimitrov, who led by two sets before retiring injured himself.
Sinner made the most of his reprieve with a dominant display against American 10th seed Shelton, who saved two match points on his own serve before succumbing to the third.
“I’m very happy with this performance,” said Sinner, who has reached at least the semi-finals in the past four majors.
“When you are in a match with a lot of tension you try not to think about [any pain]. It has improved a lot from yesterday to today.
“It is no excuse. Three is no better stage to play tennis and I showed this today.”
Sinner’s serve speed returned towards its normal pace and he was not broken, while his returning game was crisp and clinical.
To reach his first Wimbledon final, the world number one will have to beat 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic or Italian 22nd seed Flavio Cobolli in Friday’s semi-final.
Sinner started the match as the heavy favourite after a week of serene progress.
The 23-year-old had dropped just 17 games and spent only five hours and 23 minutes on court – less time than the entirety of his epic French Open final against Carlos Alcaraz – on his way to reaching the fourth round.
But it was a different story against the experienced Dimitrov – the first seeded player Sinner has come up against so far.
Dimitrov was alert, adaptable and quick, returning everything Sinner threw at him in a dominant display, and a break of serve at the first opportunity stunned a crowd expecting to watch another demolition job.
It proved to be decisive in the opener as Dimitrov produced a magnificent serving display, saving the sole break point he faced before closing out the first set.
Sinner looked nervy and, with Dimitrov going an immediate break up in the second set, struggled to find any momentum to get back into the contest.
Jannik Sinner said he could not accept his progress to the Wimbledon quarter-finals “as a win” after a tearful Grigor Dimitrov was forced to retire in an emotional end to their match.
World number one Sinner was staring at the prospect of a shock defeat as he trailed Dimitrov by two sets when the Bulgarian 19th seed dropped to the floor in pain.
The 34-year-old Dimitrov, who has now been forced to retire in each of his past five Grand Slam appearances, clenched his right pectoral muscle and could not continue following a short medical timeout.
Italy’s Sinner, a three-time major winner, has become only the ninth man in the Open era to reach seven consecutive Grand Slam quarter-finals.
But that was not an achievement he felt that he could celebrate on Centre Court on Monday night, instead concerned only with his friend’s wellbeing after a heartbreaking conclusion.
Sinner, who reappeared for his on-court interview after assisting a devastated Dimitrov off the court, said: “I don’t take this as a win at all, this is just an unfortunate moment for all of us to witness.
“He has struggled in the last Grand Slams with injuries a lot, so seeing him again with this injury is very tough.
“We all saw by his reaction how much he cares about the sport. He is one of the hardest-working players on tour and it is very unfortunate.”
The 23-year-old added, before calling on the crowd to join him in applauding Dimitrov and his team: “This is not the end we wanted to see and it’s very sad. We all wish him only the best.”
Alcaraz emulated his childhood hero Rafael Nadal – a record 14-time champion at Roland Garros – by winning his fifth major at the exact same age of 22 years, one month and three days.
Sinner, meanwhile, is the youngest man to reach three consecutive Grand Slam singles finals since 14-time major winner Pete Sampras in 1994.
Such statistics offer a strong indication of the trajectory they both find themselves on.
So, where does their rivalry go from here?
The pair both have titles to defend at the two remaining slams in 2025 – Alcaraz at Wimbledon and Sinner at the US Open.
Alcaraz, who leads Sinner 20-19 in career titles, has reduced Sinner’s lead at the top of the world rankings to 2,030 points.
But the reigning champion has 2,000 points to defend at Wimbledon, compared to just 400 for Sinner after his quarter-final exit last year.
“I’m sure he will learn from this match and come back stronger next time we face each other,” Alcaraz added.
“I’m sure he’s going to do his homework. I’m going to try to learn how I can be better [and] tactically hurt his game.
“I’m not going to beat him forever, that’s obvious. So I have to keep learning from the matches I play against him.”
With an opening game lasting 12 minutes, it felt inevitable that the final between the two best players in the world would be a marathon.
In the end, Alcaraz and Sinner put everything on the line for five hours and 29 minutes – the longest French Open final in history.
Just as the fifth set got under way at around 18:45 BST, British player Naomi Broady had to make the call to alter her travel plans.
“I’ve just changed my Eurostar ticket because I think it is safe to say I’m not going to make the 9pm one,” Broady said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
It was worth it, with an emotional Broady saying afterwards she felt “so lucky that I got to be here to witness this”.
“It feels like this is absolutely going to be a historic moment of our sport,” she added.
Former British number one Greg Rusedski likened Alcaraz to Hungarian escapologist Harry Houdini, while on TNT Sports, commentator Nick Mullins crowned him “King Carlos the second – the red king in the longest Roland Garros final”.
“Carlos certainly didn’t invent tennis, but he is perfecting it,” former British player Mark Petchey added on TNT Sports.
