Soon-to-be World No.1 men’s tennis star Jannik Sinner was disappointed after failing to reach his first French Open final following his loss to Carlos Alcaraz on Friday, but remains optimistic about the upcoming Grand Slams. Sinner’s electrifying clash with Carlos Alcaraz, a five-set thriller that saw the Spaniard emerge victorious, has fuelled anticipation for future encounters between the two young talents.
The 22-year-old Italian, while acknowledging that comparisons to the likes of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic are premature, recognizes the significance of his budding rivalry with 21-year-old Alcaraz. “Well, you cannot compare us yet with the other players we had or still have,” Sinner remarked to reporters. “But for sure, I mean, if we watch the results, we always, or most likely, when we play against, it’s in the semis or final or quarters. Very important matches.”
Alcaraz now leads their head-to-head encounters 5-4, a fact not lost on Sinner, who is determined to even the score in their next encounter. “I think that’s exciting for the game, especially when head-to-head is quite close,” he noted. “And the winner is happy and then the loser tries to find a way to beat him the next time, no? I think that’s exciting.”
However, Sinner acknowledges the challenges that come with facing a familiar opponent, particularly in high-stakes matches. “You can see a little bit of tension sometimes of both players and both sides just because we know each other slowly a little bit better,” he explained. “Each time when we play against we expect a couple of things, and then, to mix up the plans, you make different choices sometimes on the court.”
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Looking ahead to the grass season, with Wimbledon on the horizon in July, Sinner is ready to shift his focus and prepare for the challenges of a different surface. “I will work on the physical stuff, for sure. Maybe couple of days off. Then physical stuff,” he outlined. “And that’s it. I mean, you know, grass season is different. The preparation is different. You use different muscles.”
Reflecting on his performance and health concerns during the French Open, particularly regarding his hip, Sinner remains optimistic about his upcoming campaigns. “No, the hip was okay… I’m not anymore worried about the hip. Just disappointed about how it went today. Just have to accept it.”
As he gears up for Wimbledon, where he reached the semi-finals last year, Sinner is poised to make his mark on the grass courts once again. “I’m looking forward to it. I mean, last year I had a great Wimbledon, so let’s see what I can do this year,” he concluded with determination.
With his sights set on Wimbledon and his rivalry with Alcaraz continuing to simmer, Jannik Sinner remains a force to be reckoned with on the tennis circuit, poised for even greater achievements in the future.
Source Agencies
