Carlos Alcaraz may have lost his Wimbledon crown, but the 21-year-old Spaniard walked off Centre Court with his head held high, praising the electric rivalry he shares with Italy’s Jannik Sinner—a rivalry he believes stands above all others in the current men’s game.
Alcaraz’s bid for a third consecutive Wimbledon title ended in a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 defeat at the hands of world No. 1 Sinner, marking his first-ever loss in a Grand Slam final.
“It’s always tough to lose, and tougher still in a final,” said Alcaraz, who narrowly edged past Sinner in a five-set epic at Roland Garros last month. “But I leave Wimbledon proud of how I played over the last four weeks. I gave it my all.”
Despite the disappointment, Alcaraz praised Sinner’s “unbelievable” performance and spoke passionately about their growing rivalry—one that now defines a new era in men’s tennis, as legends like Federer, Nadal, and Murray step away and Djokovic nears the end of his storied career.
Between them, Sinner and Alcaraz have now captured eight of the last nine Grand Slam titles, four apiece—a testament to their dominance and relentless drive.
“Every time we meet, it’s next-level tennis,” Alcaraz said. “You don’t see this kind of quality in many other matchups. Our rivalry is getting better and more intense, and it pushes me to give 100% every day. If I want to beat Jannik, I have to keep raising my level.”
Sinner’s coach, Darren Cahill, echoed that sentiment, revealing that the Italian closely studies Alcaraz’s game. “Jannik watches more of Carlos than anyone else,” he said. “He’s fascinated by how quickly Carlos improves, and it motivates him to push harder.”
Sinner, who ended Alcaraz’s 24-match winning streak across all events—and his 20-match run at Wimbledon—was particularly satisfied to have snapped his five-match losing streak against the Spaniard.
“When you lose to someone multiple times, it’s not easy mentally,” Sinner admitted. “But I never let it drag me down. I kept learning, and I always looked up to Carlos. Even today, he was doing a few things better than I was. We’ll work on that because I know he’ll come back stronger.”
Now with a head-to-head record of 5-8 against Alcaraz, Sinner acknowledged the growing pressure that comes with success: “Carlos isn’t the only one gunning for us. The target on our backs is bigger than ever.”
Reflecting on Sinner’s growth since his heartbreaking five-set defeat in the French Open final, Alcaraz wasn’t surprised by the Italian’s resurgence.
“I knew he’d bounce back,” Alcaraz said. “He’s a true champion—champions learn from their losses. The level he brought today was incredible. I saw it coming.”
