Will Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz‘s rivalry explode in 2023, after the clashes the two young tennis players had in 2022? Between London, Umag, New York, one of the most greatest rivalries of this season develops, precisely that between the Spaniard and the Italian.
The two have been indicated since the first days of the year as the two faces of the Next Gen, the two candidates to take on the legacy of those who preceded them. Becoming Grand Slam champions, becoming number one in the world is the destiny that binds them and their rivalry: the Spaniard, unlike Sinner, has achieved both goals.
The Italian struggled, however, with a physical condition that didn’t assist him at all. A rivalry that, at least for this year, has been seen on three occasions, with three epic matches. It all started in the round of 16 at Wimbledon.
A match that Sinner dominates from the first exchanges, reaching match points in the third set tiebreak. With the first canceled, Alcaraz takes a liking to it and cancels a second, taking the third set. In the fourth, however, the Italian number one returns to his levels and, although he still has match points canceled, he conquers their first challenge of 2022.
The level of the tournament drops, passing to an ATP 250, but the round goes up: Sinner and Alcaraz, a few weeks after the clash at Wimbledon, challenge each other to win the Umago trophy. Different plot, same ending: again a victory for Sinner, but this time it’s up to him to come back.
In fact, he loses the first set in the tiebreak and recovers in the other two, giving the Spaniard a double 6-1. To close this rivalry, which will probably write the future of tennis but already inflames the present, there is the challenge in the quarterfinals of the US Open.
An epic match, in terms of intensity and the level of tennis shown, which perhaps more than any other symbolizes their struggle (and perhaps even the two different seasons). In New York, however, Alcaraz takes his revenge: in the fourth set, Sinner still has match points, which would send him to the semifinal of a Grand Slam for the first time.
This time, however, the 2003 class learns from his mistakes: he cancels the match point and takes the break, taking the match to the fifth set. Also in this last partial, with the two tired from the efforts of the previous exchanges, they give themselves to the opponent: Alcaraz loses his serve and immediately after Sinner follows him.
Just the Italian however, gives up and still loses his turn to serve. The match goes to the Spanish talent, who doesn’t have enough on this occasion: first Grand Slam title and top of the ranking.
