A matter of hours after Friday’s draw at Wimbledon, practice sessions were in full swing across the All England Club. Just before 1pm, spotted by an eagle-eyed reporter in the media centre, were the top two players in the men’s game: chatting, laughing even, in genuine joviality side-by-side as they walked to their respective courts south of the grounds.
It might seem somewhat odd that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner were in conversation, in such a relaxed manner, just a few days out from the third Grand Slam of the year. After all, it was only three weeks ago that the Spaniard fought back from the brink to defeat the world No 1 in the final at Roland Garros, winning one of the greatest matches of all time.
As such, you’d think Sinner would be sick of the sight of his Spanish adversary. Apparently not. This blossoming, intoxicating rivalry on the court takes place in an environment of impressive mutual respect. In fact, their genuine admiration for one another is as authentic as their will to win on court.
Alcaraz, by virtue of his superior head-to-head record over Sinner (8-4 – and Sinner has not beaten him since 2023) and his two previous titles in SW19, is the clear favourite heading into Wimbledon 2025. The Spaniard is on a sensational 18-match winning streak and has not lost a match since 20 April. Unequivocally, he is the man to beat.
Yet Sinner’s dominance for the vast majority of the five-and-a-half hour epic in Paris should give the Italian a huge amount of confidence and belief, should the pair meet in a fortnight on Centre Court. It is the final showdown that the whole world wants to see again. And Wimbledon is desperate for top billing in the Alcaraz-Sinner arms race.
Much has been made in the build-up to this year’s Championships of the decision to move the start time of the singles finals from 2pm to 4pm. AELTC chief executive Sally Bolton insists the move is to make sure the “champions are crowned in front of the widest possible audience”.
No doubt the move – which sees the final now take place at a more convenient time of 11am (ET) in New York – has been encouraged by a lucrative American television deal. But it also represents the wider significance of the final being the best of the best, in front of as many eyeballs as possible. After Paris, there’s no doubt who those two are.
Alcaraz and seven-time champion Novak Djokovic have put on tremendous finals in the last two years, but even the Serb reaching the final this year ahead of Sinner would feel like a let-down, such was the captivation of the French Open showpiece.
In this regard, the Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry evokes memories of Roger Federer’s battles with Rafael Nadal. Their showdowns in major finals took place across all surfaces, in the final of the Australian Open (twice), Roland Garros (four times) and Wimbledon (three times).
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The height of their rivalry was the 2006-2008 period, in which they squared off at Roland Garros and Wimbledon three years running, with the crescendo of that sensational 2008 final in near-darkness. Wimbledon would be desperate for an equivalent contest as the sun sets on 13 July.
It is not the only way the two rivalries are alike; their contrasting playing styles made for tremendous matchups.
“Off the court, we are quite similar,” Sinner said last year of Alcaraz. “On the court, we are different.
“He is the one who brings the firepower, the hotshots, he involves the crowd. He’s a bit different. I am more the solid player, quite calm. It’s like fire and ice a bit, but it’s a nice combination.”
From a British perspective, the only exception to the Alcaraz-Sinner final narrative is the explosive emergence of Jack Draper, who enters his home Slam at a career-high No 4 in the world.
The 23-year-old’s progression in the last 12 months has been astonishing; he has focused on marginal gains, such as employing a breathing coach in Ann Coxhead, and devoting all aspects of his life to the sport. As he rather bluntly summed up on Saturday: “I suppose it’s just been growing up.”
So, can Draper follow in Andy Murray’s footsteps – in the first Wimbledon since the Scot’s retirement – and win the sport’s most prestigious tournament? He’s been dealt a tough hand in Friday’s draw, with major winner Marin Cilic and the in-form Alexander Bublik (who beat him at Roland Garros) all potentially lying in wait in rounds two and three.
Even if he can navigate those tasks, he’s seeded to play Djokovic in the quarter-finals. As daunting a challenge as that would be, it will tell us a huge amount about Draper’s mentality and future potential if he is able to reach the latter stages, with the home crowd right behind him along the way.
Onwards we go then to Monday, when Alcaraz opens up proceedings on Centre Court in what should be a fun encounter against journeyman Italian maverick Fabio Fognini. The Spaniard could face Oliver Tarvet, the British No 33 and world No 719, in what would be a dream occasion for the San Diego University player, in round two.
Overall, there are 13 Brits in the men’s draw, with an all-British clash between Dan Evans and Jay Clarke in round one worth keeping an eye on too. The winner would be set to face Djokovic.
Yet beyond the home wildcards, the compelling narrative remains the top two. Sinner actually beat Alcaraz at Wimbledon three years ago over four sets in the fourth round, when the pair were just emerging onto the world stage.
It means Sinner was the last man to beat Alcaraz at the All England Club. And, to a large degree, it feels very much like the Italian is the only man who can stand in the way of the Alcaraz three-peat.
