Alcaraz defeated Sinner in five sets in the semi-finals on Friday to advance to the final against Alex Zverev on Sunday. Today we will discuss about Nothing but respect between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Nothing but respect between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz reached his first Roland Garros final on Friday when he defeated Italian Jannik Sinner 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a Paris semi-final thriller.
In one of the most anticipated matches of the year, both players struggled to find their best level in the opening two sets.
With the match tied at one set, Alcaraz looked to take control when Sinner suffered arm cramps with the score tied at 2–2 in the third set. The Italian regularly moved his hand between points and although his service speed diminished in the game, he saved four break points to stay alive on serve before receiving treatment at 3-2.
Sinner came out firing on the restart to quickly break Alcaraz and hold serve to take the lead. Alcaraz refused to surrender in the fourth, however, as both players struck the ball cleanly and with effortless timing.
With little to separate them, world number three Alcaraz found more quality and intensity in her game at the end of the fourth set to win it and force a deciding set.
The 21-year-old then produced moments of magic in a thrilling fifth set, breaking Sinner early with a fierce forehand winner. Alcaraz put her foot down from that moment on and refused to allow Sinner to come back, sealing a major win on her third match point after four hours and 10 minutes. After sealing the victory, Alcaraz, who hit 65 winners to Sinner’s 39, raised his arms in the air and received a roaring hug from the crowd.
“You have to find joy even in sadness,” Alcaraz said after his win against Sinner, who won the match by two points more than the Spaniard (147-145). “That’s the key, even more so here on the soil of Roland Garros. . Long rallies, four-hour matches, five sets. You have to fight, you have to suffer, but like I told my team, you have to enjoy the suffering.”
With his third Top 5 win of the season, Alcaraz leads the pair’s ever-evolving Lexus ATP Head2.
When Alcaraz faces Casper Ruud or Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s championship match, he will aim to win his third major title and improve to 3-0 in Grand Slam finals. The 2021 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF wins the US Open in 2022 and the Wimbledon Trophy in 2023.
The 21-year-old is the youngest player to reach a major final on all three surfaces and the second-youngest Roland Garros men’s singles finalist since 2000. Rafael Nadal reached the title match in 2005, 2006 and 2007 at the age of 19–21.
Alcaraz missed last month’s game in Rome with a right arm injury, but he is comfortable on Paris soil. The Spaniard, who defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets in the quarter-finals, has lost only three sets in the French capital.
Sinner was competing in his first semifinal at a clay-court major and trying to reach his second major final. The 22-year-old, who won the Australian Open in January, will reach No. 1 in the PIF ATP rankings for the first time on Monday and will leave Paris with a 33-3 record on the season.
Sinner raced out of the blocks against Alcaraz, breaking the 21-year-old in the opening game to quickly take the lead. The Italian moved freely and showed little nervousness during the first set, unlike Alcaraz, who struggled to find her range in the early stages. Alcaraz finally got on the board in the fifth game, but it was too late in the set, with Sinner continuing to lead from the baseline.
Sinner committed nine unforced errors in the set, while Alcaraz committed 12 unforced errors.
Alcaraz improved her performance in the second set and forced her way back into the fight. The 13-time tour-level titlist took advantage of Sinner’s lack of depth to open up the court, playing aggressive, front-foot tennis to change the pace. The Spaniard had a spring in his step after breaking back early in the set and was back in his chair after winning the second set on his first set point.
In a high-quality fourth set, both players hit the ball from the baseline.
The Italian and the Spaniard stunned everyone with their explosive groundstrokes and with the score at 4-4, there was nothing to divide them. With the crowd enjoying every minute, it was Alcaraz who made the decisive breakthrough, holding on whenever he could to force a fifth set.Alcaraz continued to play at high intensity in the fifth set against Sinner, who was beginning to tire.
The Spaniard led 3-0 and hit 15 winners in the set, improving to 10-1 in fifth sets at the major, according to Infosys Stats.
“I saw her struggling a little bit in [the third set], but I was getting cramps in the third set as well,” Alcaraz said. “I learned from the match against Djokovic last year and was in the same situation today.
But I learned that you have to stay calm, carry on because the cramps are going to go away. You have to fight. The third set was a little bit strange but The fourth set and fifth set were very good points. [We played] great tennis and I’m really happy with what I did today, looking forward to my moments.”
