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Wimbledon 2025

Venue: All England Club Dates: 30 June-13 July

The last time Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner met in a Grand Slam final it turned into an epic encounter lasting almost five and a half hours.

Now, 35 days on from that French Open thriller, they will meet again in Sunday’s men’s final at Wimbledon.

After ending Novak Djokovic’s hopes of achieving a 25th Grand Slam title, world number one Sinner was asked what fans could expect when he faces Alcaraz once again.

“We saw the last final – you never know [what will happen],” he said.

“Hopefully it’s going to be a good match like the last one, I don’t know if it can be better because I don’t think it’s possible.

“But we will do our best.”

For those who somehow missed that epic encounter at Roland Garros, here’s a reminder.

Alcaraz, the defending champion, recovered from two sets down – saving three championship points on the way – to beat Sinner.

Both players pushed themselves and each other to the limit in a classic contest that showcased all of their shot-making, athleticism and resilience.

Despite it being an all-time classic, Alcaraz has not yet got around to watching it back.

“I’ve just seen a few clips and a few points but not that much,” he said after his semi-final win over Taylor Fritz.

“I am still thinking about that moment sometimes. It was the best match I have ever played so far.

Sinner and Alcaraz are very much the dominant force in the men’s game as we enter the post-‘Big Three’ era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic.

The pair have won the last six majors between them and will wrap up a seventh on Sunday.

Only once before in the Open era have the top two seeds met in the men’s singles final at the first three Grand Slams of the year – and that was in 1978.

“I reach the final stages, I reach the semis of every slam this year, but I have to play Sinner or Alcaraz,” Djokovic said following his defeat.

“These guys are fit, young, sharp. I feel like I’m going into the match with tank half empty.”

But Sinner does not believe his and Alcaraz’s recent dominance can be mentioned in the same breath as that of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.

“You cannot compare what the big three did for 15-plus years,” he said

Alcaraz is 22 and Sinner is 23, meaning there will be plenty more years of the two meeting in major finals.

Right now it is Alcaraz who has the measure of Sinner, with the world number two winning the past five meetings between them.

Since the start of his title-winning run at the China Open in September 2023, Sinner has lost just 11 of the 127 matches he has contested – meaning almost half of his losses in that time have been to Alcaraz.

But the last time they met at Wimbledon back in 2022, it was Sinner who came out on top.

“I remember that match, but it was three years ago,” Alcaraz added. “We are completely different player on grass, but on all surfaces.

“I’m pretty sure that it’s going to be different.”

Wimbledon 2025

Dates: 30 June-13 July Venue: All England Club

There were times during his Wimbledon semi-final that Novak Djokovic must have felt as if he was looking in a mirror.

Elements of Jannik Sinner’s game scream pure Djokovic – whether it’s the sliding, the rally tolerance or the movement around the court.

But, as three-time Wimbledon singles winner John McEnroe said, there was one difference.

“We were watching a better version of Novak Djokovic playing himself,” McEnroe said on BBC TV.

“He was doing the exact same things that took him to the pantheon of the sport.”

World number one Sinner was ruthless against Djokovic, dominating the first two sets and coming back from a break down in the third to win 6-3 6-3 6-4 and end the Serb’s latest bid for a standalone record 25th Grand Slam title.

For the first time, Djokovic looked as though he was feeling the 15-year difference between himself and Sinner.

Both came into the match with injuries – Sinner with his right elbow and Djokovic with his movement hindered after a fall late in his quarter-final – and both took precautions throughout the week to recover.

But while Sinner appeared relatively untroubled, Djokovic’s movement was hindered. Being half a step slower than usual was enough for Sinner to pounce – just as Djokovic has done to opponents over the years.

“It’s just age, the wear and tear of the body,” Djokovic said.

Djokovic’s fitness has been and will always be extraordinary.

He is aiming to become the oldest Grand Slam singles champion in the Open era. Ken Rosewall was 37 when he won the last of his eight major titles, while the now-retired Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were 36 when they last triumphed.

Djokovic has reached the semi-finals of all three Grand Slams this year. He has beaten players above him in the rankings, players who supposedly have the advantage of youth over him. And he looked superb at times during his Wimbledon run: the serve firing, the feet gliding into the corners.

But he has to contend with Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who will leave here having carved up the past seven Grand Slams between them, and will inevitably recover quicker than Djokovic.

“It’s tough for me to accept because I feel like when I’m fit, I can still play really good tennis. I’ve proven that this year,” Djokovic said.

“Playing best-of-five, particularly this year, has been a real struggle for me physically. The longer the tournament goes, the worse the condition gets.

“I have to play Sinner or Alcaraz. These guys are fit, young, sharp. I feel like I’m going into the match with the tank half-empty.

“It’s just not possible to win a match like that.”

Djokovic considered withdrawing but did not – and at 3-0 up on Sinner in the third set, with a point for a double break, he would have felt vindicated.

Djokovic may have also had a wry smile or two as he watched Sinner slide around and return serve in the way he has for so many years.

McEnroe described the way Sinner slides as a “carbon copy” of Djokovic, saying the Italian had “learned from the master”.

“He’s turned back time for years but it’s caught up with Djokovic today,” McEnroe said on BBC TV.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever looked at him and thought ‘I’m not sure he’s coming back’.

“Father time is undefeated, right? And that’s what we’re seeing right now.

“He’s finally joined the crowd of older champions that realise the best is behind them and then they have to deal with that unfortunate fact.

“Honestly, it’s been amazing he’s got this far.”

Djokovic himself said he was planning to come back to Wimbledon “definitely at least one more time” and he will have another chance to win major number 25 at the US Open.

But the problem for Djokovic is the same as it is for the rest of the field – if Sinner doesn’t get you, then Alcaraz will.

Sinner has won three majors on hard courts, Alcaraz two on clay, two on grass and one in New York.