Carlos Alcaraz has sought to reassess his rivalry with Jannik Sinner after losing to him in the Wimbledon final.
It was a tough match for the Spaniard, who seemed out of sorts as soon as he won the opening set.
Whilst many would have expected this to be the spark that helped him cruise to a third-straight title at the All-England Club, it inexplicably contributed to his downfall.
Whether the 23-year-old made a crucial tweak or his level just dropped, Jannik Sinner stole the final three sets and walked away as the deserved champion.
Gracious in defeat, as always, Carlos Alcaraz spoke at length about his budding rivalry in his post-match press conference.
Carlos Alcaraz reviews his performance in the Wimbledon final against Jannik Sinner
These are two incredible athletes, boasting physical and technical qualities beyond belief.
And yet, these talents are secondary to the remarkable young men they are; phenomenal ambassadors for the sport.
Whether it be conceding a point, overruling a poor call that favours them, or reacting with decorum whether winning or losing, the future of men’s tennis is in good hands with this duo at the helm.
Speaking about Sinner, Alcaraz admitted: “The rivalry with Sinner is growing. We are playing the finals of the best tournaments in the world. Honestly, I don’t see another duel with the level that we show. We push each other to keep improving.
“I am very proud of my grass court season. Losing a Grand Slam final is always tough, but we have learned to accept things as they come and take the positive out of it. In the match, there were moments of all kinds. Sinner, from the second set onwards, raised his level from the baseline. At that point, I didn’t know what to do; I felt that he was being more complete than me.”
He added: “First of all, just really happy about having this rivalry with him. I think it’s great for us, and it’s great for tennis.
“Every time we play each other, I think our level is really high. We don’t watch a level like this, if I’m honest with you… I don’t see any players playing against each other having the level that we’re playing when we face each other. This rivalry is becoming better and better. We’re building a really great rivalry, because we’re playing the final of a Grand Slam, final of Masters… it means the best tournaments in the world. It’s gonna be better and better.
“I’m really grateful for that. It gives me the opportunity to just give my 100% every practice and every day. Thanks to that. The level I have to maintain and raise if I want to beat Jannik is really high. I’m just really grateful for that.”
Sinner’s on-court interview praised Alcaraz, as if to reinforce that point.
Carlos Alcaraz looked out of sorts in the Wimbledon final
As touched upon earlier, this was not a typical Alcaraz performance.
Even though he won the first set, his level was flat and uninspiring, and at times, he even looked injured with how little effort he appeared to be putting in.
Sinner was serving remarkably well, but some of the returns from the Spaniard seemed rather relaxed for a Grand Slam final, at Wimbledon no less.
Upon reviewing this clash with his team, they will likely not be happy with his level, particularly in the second, third and fourth sets. Added to that his unlikely frustration and regular rants towards his box, and this did not seem like Alcaraz at all.
Alas, he is a five-time Grand Slam champion, and was, until today, undefeated in major finals. You can’t win them all. Not with a rival like Sinner.
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