Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, along with Novak Djokovic, are among the favorites at the upcoming Wimbledon. Carlos and Jannik trained next to each other, making the final preparations ahead of their first duels at the All England Club on Monday and Tuesday. Two great rivals share the upper half, projecting the semi-final duel if each passes five rivals. Alcaraz came to Wimbledon following the Roland Garros crown and the early exit at Queen's. The Spaniard lost the title at the pre-Wimbledon event, dropping ATP points and allowing Djokovic to pass him on the list and become world no. 2. Thus, Alcaraz will have to beat world no. 1 Sinner if he wants to reach his second consecutive final at the world's most prestigious tennis event. Jannik and Carlos fought at Wimbledon in 2022, seeking a place in the quarter-final. The older Italian notched a 6-1, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 triumph in three hours and 35 minutes, playing rock-solid tennis and leaving a teenager behind.
Sinner served at 57% and drew the most from that, defending all seven break points and mounting the pressure on the other side. Carlos fought well after a slow start. However, he got broken four times from 12 chances offered to his opponent, fending off two match points in the tie break of the third set before laying down his weapons in the fourth. The Italian tamed his strokes more efficiently and caused over 60 forced mistakes from the 19-year-old. Jannik had the upper hand in the shortest and mid-range exchanges. He stayed focused in the fourth set, erasing six break points and moving over the top with a single break. The Italian made a flying start, serving well in the opening set and breaking the Spaniard two times. Carlos lost serve in the fourth game after a loose forehand and played another loose service game at 1-4. Sinner grabbed another break, extending the gap and firing an ace in the seventh game for 6-1.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are preparing for Wimbledon.
Jannik broke in the first game of the second set and fended off a break point in the next one, which was the only chance he offered Carlos in the opening three sets! They served well in the remaining eight games, with Sinner holding at love at 5-4 to open a massive two sets to love advantage. Carlos played against three break points in the first game of the third set, moving closer to the exit door. However, he denied them and stayed on the positive side for the rest of the set, introducing a tie break. Alcaraz squandered three set points at 6-3 and faced match points at 6-7 and 7-8. A teenager denied them and stole the tie break 10-8 after the rival's backhand error, prolonging his chances and hoping for a complete comeback. Jannik survived two challenging service games at the beginning of the fourth set and secured a break at 2-1 after Carlos' costly double fault.
Sinner played against three break points in the next one, saving them with a forced error and two winners en route to a pivotal hold and a 4-1 advantage. The Italian held at love in the seventh game for 5-2 and generated three match points on the return in the next one. Alcaraz saved them and held, reducing the deficit and wishing for one last chance on the return at 3-5. The Spaniard missed a break point, and the Italian converted the sixth match point with a forced error, celebrating a place in the quarter-final. Sinner and Alcaraz will try to arrange their second consecutive Major semi-final a couple of weeks after the previous one. Carlos and Jannik battled for a place in the Roland Garros final. The Spaniard scored a hard-fought 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory in four hours and nine minutes, earning his fifth victory over a great rival from nine encounters. Both players gave everything while seeking the first Roland Garros final.
They struggled physically, and Alcaraz emerged victorious despite standing a set behind two times. The younger player preserved more energy and finished the match with 11 consecutive holds, overcoming the deficit and remaining on the title course. Jannik felt cramps and the pain around his troubled hip. He refused to surrender, winning two more points than Carlos but not the crucial ones, suffering the first loss at Majors in 2024. Alcaraz had the upper hand, firing 65 winners and 58 unforced errors while taming his strokes nicely. Each player scored six breaks, and the Spaniard kept his service games secured since the end of the third set. He mounted the pressure on the other side and determined the winner with two breaks in sets four and five. If they arrange the Wimbledon duel, we should witness another cracker between the leaders of the new generation, with Alcaraz trying to defend the title and Sinner looking to go at least one step further than in 2023.
