Sinner defeats the injured Djokovic to help Alcaraz go to the Wimbledon final.

 

When Novak Djokovic strode on to Centre Court for a second contest with Jannik Sinner in barely over a month, the narrative had long been set. This was surely one of the 24-time grand slam champion’s last chances for a potential major victory, a challenge that will only become more difficult as he ages even further away from his physical peak while Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz move closer to their own.

 

For the ensuing two hours on court, Sinner made it clear just how punishing that challenge already is as he completely dismantled a weakened Djokovic, the sixth seed, with his nuclear weight of shot and unimpeachable defence as he reached the Wimbledon final for the first time in his career with a dominant 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win.

 

A month after suffering the most devastating loss of his career, holding triple championship point against Alcaraz in the French Open final before losing in five crushing sets, Sinner has shown off his mental fortitude and resilience by picking himself back up and immediately making his way through to yet another final. Sinner, the world No 1, will have a chance to avenge that defeat at the earliest possible moment as he faces Alcaraz once again after the Spaniard defeated Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (6).

 

As their combined grip on men’s tennis continues to strengthen, Alcaraz and Sinner will be the second pair of players in the open era to contest the men’s finals at the French Open and Wimbledon in back to back years, which Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer achieved for three consecutive years between 2006 and 2008. Sinner also extends his run of dominance over Djokovic to five straight wins and he has not lost to the 24-time grand slam champion since 2023.

 

He is the sixth player in the open era to reach four consecutive men’s singles grand slam finals, joining a distinguished list of all-time greats: Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi and Rod Laver. Every new grand slam tournament underlines his desperation to become a legend of the game in his own right.