Jannik Sinner was optimistic coming into the match against Carlos Alcaraz, but once he lost the closely fought first set, he had a difficult battle to fight. Alcaraz took the first set 7–5 by maintaining Sinner on the back foot through his agility, creativity, and court coverage. Sinner kept his head, adjusted his strategy, and gave a fantastic battle in the second set despite the initial defeat.
Jannik Sinner
Alcaraz approached the second set with a strategic beginning. He took a step inside the baseline, played hard tennis, and forced Sinner to defend early. He punched Sinner out wide with a series of forehand angles that forced mistakes from the Italian. Sinner held his serve and counterattacked in each rally despite the pressure. He wouldn’t let Alcaraz dominate for long.
Sinner began to serve more accurately, playing a mix of body serves and wide serves to unsettle Alcaraz. He hit his groundstrokes with confidence, making the Spaniard commit errors. The solidness of every service has improved. Sinner began to dominate more points from the baseline once he had built momentum over time.
The Mid-Set
Both players upped their game in the middle of the set. Sinner’s anticipation and footwork were impressive. He covered a lot of ground from defence to attack and volleyed balls from across the court. Alcaraz, meanwhile, appeared somewhat intimidated by Sinner’s resilience and calm demeanour.
At a crucial point in the match, Sinner’s perfectly placed backhands saved two break points at 3–3. He then sealed the game with a forehand winner and an ace. The crowd applauded his mental resilience, sensing the tide was turning. Alcaraz fought back with a firm grip of his own, but it was clear that the pressure had shifted, marking a pivotal moment in the match.
Extended Rallies
Rallies grew more gruelling and longer as the set progressed. Both players traded sublime drop shots and scorching forehands. Sinner maintained the pace with Alcaraz, revealing his growing stamina and agility. He retrieved a short ball, pushed it deep in the corner, and then closed out the point with a scalpel-like backhand down the line in one particularly exhausting rally at 4–4.
Sinner eroded Alcaraz’s confidence with each winning point. He started to study Alcaraz’s mannerisms and visited the court more often. He succeeded in his planned aggression. Alcaraz needed to serve to remain in the set when he was leading 5–4.
A Magical Moment
Sinner earned a set point on Alcaraz’s serve at 5–4, 30–40. A point that typified the entire set followed. Alcaraz served wide to push Sinner off the court to start. All the elements of modern tennis were present in the subsequent rally: pace, spin, angles, and foot speed. Sinner reached Alcaraz’s deep forehand and redirected it across the court. Alcaraz dumped a shot back. Sinner ran forward and barely caught it, then stepped back on Alcaraz’s lob and stayed in the point.
He stroked the line crosscourt with a forehand on the run in one of the match’s most tantalizing moments.
Sinner Ingenuity
The spectators rose from their seats as Sinner returned to his bench. In appreciation of the genius of Sinner, fans applauded, cheered, and waved the Italian flag. The quality of the tennis being played was appreciated even by a few unbiased spectators. Sinner kept his cool, but his intention was evident from his firm expression. He rebooted and prepared for the crucial set rather than hosting a wild party.
Critics praised his strategy, tactical sense, and, above all, his ability to deliver a winner under extreme pressure. “That’s a champion’s shot,” said one commentator. “Only a handful of players in the world can do that at break point.”
