There is no better blessing than the one that the best in history can give you. Novak Djokovic, before leaving Paris, predicted that “both Carlos and Jannik are going to have successful careers. To compare themselves with us – the Big Three – they will have to play against each other for 10 years in a row, but it is good for tennis that they are there”.
When Djokovic won the 2023 US Open, his last major, between him, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal had shared 62 of the previous 74 majors. In the midst of their domination, seven brave men had slipped in: Juan Martin del Potro (US Open 2009), Andy Murray (US Open 2012, Wimbledon 2013 and 2016), Stan Wawrinka (Australia 2014, Roland Garros 2015 and US Open 2016), Marin Cilic (US Open 2014), Dominic Thiem (US Open 2020), Daniil Medvedev (US Open 2021) and Carlos Alcaraz (US Open 2022 and Wimbledon 2023).
Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner took over from Nole and conquered everything in the last year and a half. The Spaniard did the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double, while Sinner defended his crown in Australia and won the US Open. One of the two will win again on Sunday, from 3pm, on the Philippe Chatrier court. It will be the sixth major trophy in a row for their coffers. “It will be a great day for tennis fans. Jannik is destroying everyone,” said Alcaraz.
His rival has reached the final without dropping a set. One statistic demonstrates his consistency: he has reached eight finals in a row on the tour, something that has not happened since Djokovic in 2015. At 23 years and 282 days old, he is the youngest to do so since Ivan Lendl in 1982.
“Carlos makes me a better player because he pushes me to the limit. I try to improve for the next time I face him. All sports need rivalries and this could be one of them,” said the San Candido player, who has bowed out in the last four meetings with the Spaniard. Of the 11 previous head-to-heads, none had the significance of the current one, because it is the first Grand Slam final.
I always try to improve for the next time I face him
“The tactical part counts because each match is different and can turn out in a different way than you expected,” explains Darren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi’s pupil. It’s a clash of styles: Carlitos’ creativity against Sinner’s consistency.
Crossed vs homogeneous
Alcaraz is cross-dominant and Jannik, homogeneous. The former responds to this condition. He is right-handed, but his dominant eye is the left. His forehand is more natural than his backhand, he is more creative, more skillful and more aggressive. On the court he looks for winning points.
Sinner, on the other hand, has the dominant eye on the executing arm. He has a better backhand than forehand, is a hard worker in the long run and takes fewer risks on the court.
The scoreboard counts when the small details make the difference. The reigning champion trained for an hour yesterday on court 2 at the Bois de Boulogne. It was a session with a ball cart to loosen up the muscles.
Destiny wants a 22-year-old, one-month-and-three-day-old to be the fifth Grand Slam champion. Just like Rafa Nadal
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