Carlos Alcaraz faces a new challenge following his recent defeat in the Wimbledon final, marking his first setback in a Grand Slam title match. Until now, Alcaraz had enjoyed an impeccable record, winning all five of his previous major finals. However, he fell to top seed Jannik Sinner in a tightly contested match, wrapping up at 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, thus ending his title reign at the All England Club.
Reflecting on the loss, the second-ranked Alcaraz admitted, “It’s always a bad feeling, losing matches. It’s a little bit even worse when you lose in a final.” This defeat was particularly significant, as Alcaraz had previously dominated at Wimbledon, boasting a remarkable 20-match winning streak on the grass courts and having claimed both the 2023 and 2024 titles, defeating none other than Novak Djokovic each time.
Heading into the final, Alcaraz was riding a career-long unbeaten streak of 24 matches this season and had previously bested Sinner in their last five encounters, including a thrilling five-set battle in the final of the French Open just weeks prior. Determined to maintain a positive outlook, he stated, “I just want to keep the good moments and try to forget the bad moments.”
The match began promisingly for Alcaraz, who showcased his impressive skills to take the first set. However, as the match progressed, he struggled against Sinner’s powerful serve; he only managed to create three break-point opportunities in the last three sets, failing to convert any. While his serve started strong with 15 aces, it was marred by inconsistency, logging seven double faults and a first-serve percentage of just 53%. Sinner broke Alcaraz’s serve five times throughout the match.
A critical factor was Alcaraz’s second serve, which allowed Sinner to capitalize with aggressive returns, placing Alcaraz in a defensive position too often. “Today was complicated, a little bit,” Alcaraz stated, praising Sinner as one of the tour’s best returners. He noted the pressure of serving under pressure: “With the nerves and everything, it was difficult to serve better. I just have to improve that, absolutely.”
Alcaraz acknowledged that any dip in form he experienced was due more to Sinner’s relentless play than any fatigue on his part. He commented on the mental toll of keeping up with Sinner’s level: “He was pushing me to the limit on every point. So mentally, sometimes, it’s really tough to maintain the good focus or the good level during the whole match.” Consequently, he found himself uncertain at times, remarking, “from the baseline, I was feeling he was better than me, and I couldn’t do anything about it.”
As Alcaraz looks to regroup from this defeat, he aims to embrace the lessons learned from this experience, drawing strength from his past performances and the challenges he faced on court against a formidable opponent in Sinner. The future remains bright for the young Spaniard as he navigates this crucial period in his burgeoning career.
