Credit: Reuters File Photo
The lawns of the All England Club are set to stage the definitive rivalry of modern men’s tennis as World No. 1 Jannik Sinner takes on two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a blockbuster Wimbledon final. This isn't just a match; it is a battle for supremacy between the sport's two dominant forces.
Three years ago, when they first met here, they were tantalizing prospects. Today, they are World No. 1 and 2, with a combined eight major titles, having continuously flourished on the biggest stages. Sunday’s final marks their 13th career meeting, and if their most recent encounter—an epic, five-set French Open final won by Alcaraz—is anything to go by, another classic awaits.
| YEAR | TOURNAMENT | ROUND | WINNER | SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | FRENCH OPEN | FINAL | ALCARAZ | 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2) |
| 2025 | ITALIAN OPEN | FINAL | ALCARAZ | 7-6(5), 6-1 |
| 2024 | CHINA OPEN | FINAL | ALCARAZ | 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3) |
| 2024 | FRENCH OPEN | SEMIFINAL | ALCARAZ | 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 2024 | INDIAN WELLS | SEMIFINAL | ALCARAZ | 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 |
| 2023 | CHINA OPEN | SEMIFINAL | SINNER | 7-6(4), 6-1 |
| 2023 | MIAMI OPEN | SEMIFINAL | SINNER | 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2 |
| 2023 | INDIAN WELLS | SEMIFINAL | ALCARAZ | 7-6(4), 6-3 |
| 2022 | US OPEN | QUARTERFINAL | ALCARAZ | 6-3, 6-7(7), 6-7(0), 7-5, 6-3 |
| 2022 | CROATIA OPEN | FINAL | SINNER | 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-1 |
| 2022 | WIMBLEDON | ROUND OF 16 | SINNER | 6-1, 6-4, 6-7(8), 6-3 |
| 2021 | PARIS MASTERS | ROUND OF 32 | ALCARAZ | 7-6(1), 7-5 |
The head-to-head record, which Alcaraz leads 8-4, tells the story of a rivalry he has recently controlled. The Spaniard is on a five-match winning streak against the Italian, a psychological edge he brings to Centre Court.
Sinner, however, has carved a formidable path to this final, his campaign highlighted by a stunning straight-sets demolition of Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. He has looked every bit the top seed, dropping only one set en route to the championship match.
Alcaraz, the reigning king of SW19, has been tested but has proven his resilience, navigating a tough four-set challenge against Taylor Fritz in his own semifinal.
On Sunday, these two narratives will collide. It is more than a contest for a trophy; it is a defining chapter in a rivalry that promises to shape the landscape of men’s tennis for years to come.
Fears of a void in the wake of the golden era of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic were real -- surely nothing would ever be the same again after an age in which they took the sport to unimaginable heights.
From 2003 to 2023, the trio accumulated 66 Grand Slam titles between them and their rivalries were complex and compelling in equal measure. Djokovic is not done yet but a new era has begun and it promises to be just as spectacular as the previous one.
(With Reuters inputs)