Jannik Sinner became the first Italian to win a Wimbledon singles title after a gripping 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Carlos Alcaraz on Centre Court. The win marked a changing of the guard, as it was the first men's final at SW19 since 2002 without at least one of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray.
Sinner, who had lost a five-set epic to Alcaraz at the French Open just five weeks ago, showed remarkable resilience. 'Even if I don't cry, it feels emotional because only me and the people who are close to me know exactly what we have been through,' he said. 'It has been everything except easy.'
The world No 1 broke early in the second set after losing the first, and levelled the match with three extraordinary winners. He then broke again towards the end of the third set and early in the fourth to seal the victory. Alcaraz, who had saved match points in Paris, could not repeat the escape act this time.
Alcaraz praised the rivalry, saying: 'If I'm honest, I don't see any player having the level that we are playing when we face each other.' Sinner, who grew up idolising skier Bode Miller and was a national junior runner-up in giant slalom, dedicated the win to his team. 'They keep pushing me to become a better tennis player, but also a better person,' he said.
