Wimbledon, England – World No. 1 Janik Thinner won his first Wimbledon title and fourth Grand Slam Crown by beating Carlos Alcaraz 4-4, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday.
The Italians earned a revenge against Alcaraz after a painful defeat at the French Open final last month.
Alcaraz was trying to make him the fifth man of an open era to win Wimbledon for the third year in a row. However, after filming the first set, he was abolished by Thinner, the first Italian to win the title.
This is the first time a sinner has beaten Alkaraz in the last six meetings, cutting his head deficit to 8-5 into a head fight. The pair are currently 1-1 in the Slam Finals and are separated from the pack.
We break down what makes their rivalry special.
They bring out the best from each other
Like all great rivalries, these two seem to force each other to a new level. Sometimes when they go from baseline to toe toe, it’s like watching Pon, a vintage computer game where the ball speeds up every turn.
The shot-making is incredible, just as the sinner showed between the half-volleys of the leg in Sunday’s final, or as Alcaraz demonstrated with an outrageous stretch before hitting a sliced backhand pass. Three of their four Grand Slam battles are at a distance, and this year’s Roland Garros Final is already described as one of the greatest matches of all time.
Each says that the other has made him a better player, while the other urges him to work harder and knows that if they don’t, the others will.
“I’m really happy to have a great relationship from the court, but the big competition in the courts improves every day,” Alcaraz said on Sunday.
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Alcaraz makes delicious drop volleys and sinners
Carlos Alcaraz strikes an epic drop volley to score points against Janik Thinner in the Wimbledon final.
They won the last 7 majors between them
They also monopolized the majors when Djokovic, Federer and Rafael Nadal ruled the game. From the beginning of 2004 until the end of Roland Garros, Big 3 won 65 out of 77 Grand Slams played – an incredible era.
By comparison, Alkaraz and the sinners are in the early stages, but they have now won the past seven majors between them. Things can change rapidly in tennis, and young people like Joao Fonseca may challenge them in the coming years, but for now it’s hard to see them win one of the four slams if the duo remains in good condition.
Those contrasting styles become a dramatic battle
John McEnroe and Ivan Lendle have never spoken about the ultimate contrast of style or personality. The sinner and Alcaraz really like each other, respecting each other, and are off the court. But they are also different enough to ensure that every time they meet, the drama is almost guaranteed.
Both are incredible athletes. Alkaraz has a sinner’s strength, calm, and unflapping qualities, while Alkaraz has a talent – the sinner has a strength, calm, and flapping qualities. One rises and the other responds. As Alkaraz runs through the net, the sinner passes by. When the sinner returns, Alkaraz uses a drop shot. Neither gives inches, and believes that each can always dig themselves out of the hole, Alkaraz’s smile coincides with steel in the eyes of the sinner.
The victory of a sinner is good for rivalry
From a tennis history perspective, where is their rivalry? Well, Martina Navratirova and Chris Ebert’s 80 matches against each other – 60 incredible matches in the final – will probably never be beaten, but the way these two dominate the sport suggests they are equally proficient on every surface.
The rivalry is only rivalry if both players continue to win, and in that sense, the Thinner victory was important, ending five consecutive losses to Alcaraz, who is currently leading 8-5. Every time they play with each other, it’s like a classic, if they get close to places like Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal (60). Djokovic and Roger Federer (50) and Federer and Nadal (40) are looking for a treat.
