Jannik Sinner stood victorious on Centre Court, arms raised, then dropped to his knees—overcome by the moment. Just five weeks after suffering a gut-wrenching loss at the French Open, the 23-year-old Italian bounced back in stunning fashion to win his first Wimbledon title, defeating archrival Carlos Alcaraz in a gripping final.
“Only me and the people who are close to me know exactly what we have been through on and off the court,” Sinner said, fighting back emotion. “It has been everything except easy.”
The victory makes Sinner the first Italian man to win Wimbledon, and it came just over a month after he had lost to Alcaraz in a five-set classic in Paris—after holding three championship points.
Redemption After Roland Garros
That French Open defeat had the potential to unravel a lesser athlete. But for Sinner, it became fuel. After just three days off to regroup with friends and family, he returned to training with a vengeance.
“This match was important for many reasons,” said Darren Cahill, one of his coaches. “He knew the importance of closing this one out when he had the opportunity.”
Grass-Court Struggles to Centre Court Glory
Sinner’s Wimbledon campaign didn’t start smoothly. He exited early in Halle, his only grass-court warm-up. And during his fourth-round match at SW19, he found himself down two sets to Grigor Dimitrov before an injury to the Bulgarian shifted the match.
Sinner also suffered an elbow knock during that match but powered through the pain to defeat Ben Shelton and Novak Djokovic in straight sets en route to the final.
By dethroning Alcaraz—his first win in their last six meetings—Sinner added Wimbledon to his 2024 and 2025 Australian Open titles, taking a huge step toward a career Grand Slam.
Setbacks Off the Court
Sinner’s 2025 season has not been without controversy. Earlier this year, he served a three-month doping ban after testing positive for clostebol, a banned substance. Though the World Anti-Doping Agency found he had no intention to cheat, he accepted responsibility for his team’s error.
He returned in time for the French Open and has since retained his world No. 1 ranking, highlighting his consistency and resilience.
“He’s had a challenging year,” Cahill admitted. “The guy you see on court—so focused and precise—is also a fun, relaxed guy off court, always joking and messing around. We’re proud of the way he’s carried himself.”
A Rivalry for the Ages
Sinner and Alcaraz have now claimed eight of the last nine Grand Slam titles between them, with their rivalry shaping a new era in men’s tennis.
And as Sinner hoisted the Wimbledon trophy aloft, he shared a knowing smile with Alcaraz, a silent nod to battles fought—and still to come.
“It doesn’t matter how you win or lose,” Sinner said. “You just have to understand what you did wrong and work on that. That’s why I’m holding this trophy.”
Source: By Harry Poole, BBC Sport
