World number one Jannik Sinner says the heartbreak of his French Open collapse against Carlos Alcaraz served as motivation for his Wimbledon final victory on Sunday.
Sinner outclassed Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Centre Court to win his maiden Wimbledon title, avenging last month’s gut-wrenching five-set defeat in the Roland Garros final, where he squandered a two-set lead and three championship points.
“I would say mostly emotionally, because I had a very tough loss in Paris,” said the 23-year-old Italian. “But it doesn’t matter how you win or lose; you just have to understand what you did wrong and try to work on it. That’s what we did, and that’s one of the reasons I’m holding this trophy.”
The victory makes Sinner the first Italian man to lift the Wimbledon crown, ending Alcaraz’s two-year reign at the All England Club and claiming his fourth Grand Slam title.
“It’s so special,” Sinner said. “When I was younger, I never thought I’d be in this position. It was just a dream—so far away from where I come from.”
Alcaraz, whose 24-match winning streak was snapped, had no complaints about the result, praising Sinner’s performance.
“It’s difficult to lose, but first of all, I have to congratulate Jannik. He really deserved this. He was playing great tennis,” said the world number two and five-time Grand Slam winner.
Despite the defeat, his first in a Grand Slam final, Alcaraz remains upbeat.
“I’m really proud of what I’ve done. I struggled at the start of the season but found joy again.
Wimbledon is one of the most beautiful tournaments on tour. I feel at home here, and I just want to keep this journey going.”
