Sinner, Wimbledon and that champagne cork

Maybe we should have known it from that champagne cork that fell on his side. The scene is like this: second set, 2-1 to Sinner, who is about to serve ... when the unmistakable sound of a cork jumping in the silence of the centre court and crashing onto the court leaves everyone stunned. Jannik picks it up and gives it to the ball boy, but perhaps that cork was a sign of the success that was to come, of the toast that awaited him three hours later, after that 6-4 triple that consecrated him Wimbledon champion. Because Sinner played a great match, taming Alcaraz's exuberance, forcing him to make mistakes, not allowing him the lead in the exchanges thanks to his effective serve (it is no coincidence that the match point was a great first). All this was accompanied by a grit and will to win that made him shout "Go!" more than once, or put his hands to his sides, incredulous for an error not of his making, or even call out to the crowd, after a defence of his own followed by a tight cross-court pass (at 5-4 and service in the second set).

Perhaps we should have realised that this was the 'most special Slam win, after three months' standstill and two lost finals', as coach Simone Vagnozzi said, confessing that he cried - something that had never happened before - in the pit with Darren Cahill, Alex Vittur, mum Siglinde protected by a pair of sunglasses, dad Hanspeter and Mark, the brother 'taken' from Formula 1.

Jannik also confirmed, 'every Slam is special, my first was in Australia... This one is special because of its history, it is the most prestigious tournament and you can see that in so many things. But it is also because of what we have been through: the past three or four months have not been easy and now to have this cup makes it very very special'. So let's toast with the world number 1, knowing that many more challenges await him with Carlos ("I am proud to have reached the final" with a rival who "pushes me to give my all, 100 per cent at every training session", said the Spaniard).

Sinner is writing the history of Italian sport, although he shrugs off his 23 years of age by saying that this is not the time to talk about 'historic' goals: he works first and foremost for his own growth. 'This does not mean not thinking about Italy,' he points out, 'on the contrary, I feel lucky to be Italian and I am happy to be part of this history, but now we must move forward. Cheers and pragmatism as a champion, waiting for the sound of the next cork.