Alcaraz can stop Sinner as a great tennis rivalry unfolds

In the early days of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz's electric rivalry, as the two young men established themselves as the best players in the world, a prominent theme of their matches was the spectacular, highlight-reel points that would light up social media feeds in an instant.

- JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

During the Indian Wells semi-final in 2024, after Sinner and Alcaraz chased down drop shots and angled volleys to shrieks from the crowd, the young rivals turned to each other and laughed across the net, sharing not only their disbelief but also the joy of pushing themselves to new heights.

As Sinner and Alcaraz now prepare to battle for the French Open title, in their first grand slam final, it is clear that their rivalry has evolved into a generational one. While both players will hope to enjoy the moment of facing each other for one of the sport’s biggest prizes, there is also now much more at stake. Today, Alcaraz, 22, will bid for his second consecutive Roland Garros title and fifth grand slam. Sinner, 23, has the chance to win a third consecutive major, as well as a fourth overall and first outside the hard-court tournaments.

It will also be the first grand slam final played between two men born in the 2000s, as Novak Djokovic, who was beaten in straight sets by the World No 1 Sinner in Friday’s semi-final, left the stage for the young rivals to fill. “Definitely great for tennis, both of them,” Djokovic said. “I think their rivalry is something that our sport needs, no doubt. I’m sure that we’re going to see them lifting the big trophies quite often.”