Alcaraz, Sinner lead new chapter in tennis’…

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For practically two decades, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer were virtually untouchable on top of the tennis world. Now, as the Big Three era fades into history, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner – the New Two – lead the new generation, with their most-recent meeting in the 2025 Roland-Garros final being the greatest showcase of their rivalry.

Having previously met three times at a Grand Slam, their fourth meeting was undoubtedly the grandest. It was the first time Alcaraz and Sinner had met in a major final.

Dating back to their first-ever clash back in the 2019 Alicante Challenger first round, the Spaniard has gotten the better of Sinner on clay, having lost just once in their four matches on the dirt.

Then came Sunday’s French Open final. Seeking revenge after a straight-set loss to Alcaraz in the Rome final last month, the Italian looked to have cracked the code against the man who many are calling the next King of Clay.

The world No. 1 took the opening two sets and had three chances to close it out in the fourth. However, Alcaraz saved all three championship points, sparking one of the greatest comebacks in tennis history.

The 22-year-old Spaniard won two-straight tiebreaks and celebrated by laying on the red clay with face in hands. A distraught Sinner looked on as Alcaraz successfully defended his Roland-Garros title, becoming the first to do so since Nadal in 2020.

Few would argue against this being the greatest French Open final of all time as the match was a true testament of how captivating this young rivalry is.

Alcaraz and Sinner battled for five hours and 29 minutes, the second-longest Grand Slam final in the Open Era and the longest at Roland-Garros. The rivals combined for a major final-record 385 points, only separated by one point in favour of the Italian.

Not many summed up the duel better than 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer, who took to Instagram after the match to say, “3 winners in Paris today: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and the beautiful game of tennis.”

Safe to say, the future of tennis is in good hands.

Now, as the grass season begins, Sinner and Alcaraz have the opportunity to renew their rivalry on the surface where they first met on the major stage. The Italian defeated the Spaniard in four sets back in the 2022 Wimbledon fourth round – Alcaraz’s last lost at the All-England Club – which happens to be Sinner’s only Grand Slam win against the El Palmar-native.

And the stakes for a potential final at Wimbledon may be just as significant as they were for that marathon final at Roland-Garros.

For Alcaraz, it is a chance to make history once again, looking to join Djokovic, Federer, Pete Sampras, and Bjorn Borg as the only three-time defending champions at Wimbledon in the Open Era.

As for Sinner, a win would snap a five-match losing skid against the world No. 2 and a fourth Grand Slam triumph will get him one major title closer to Alcaraz’s five.

But, as the saying goes, iron sharpens iron. The two rivals have combined for the last six Grand Slam wins and currently occupy the Top 2 spots in the rankings. While Sinner and Alcaraz compete for the year-end No. 1, the New Two continue to fill the shoes of the renowned Big Three.

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Feature Photo: Martin Sidorjak