Sinner champion at Wimbledon: the first Italian in history

Jannik Sinner writes history once again: he beats Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion at Wimbledon, in four sets, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. It is the first victory by an Italian in the world's most prestigious Slam, achieved by playing impeccably and with the authority to which he has accustomed us. The embrace between the two at the end of the match was beautiful, as was Jannik's emotion, bent over on that grass where he had never even reached the final. An emotion equal to the joy in the embrace with his parents, his brother and the team, even more heartfelt after the success that escaped by a whisker a month ago at Roland Garros. His first words in the on-court interview are in his style, measured and essential: 'Emotionally the defeat in Paris was tough, but it doesn't matter how you win or how you lose. You have to understand what didn't work and work there, use the defeat to improve. That's why I won this tournament," he said. And then: 'There is my family, my team. It's beautiful... It's a dream come true and I'm living it."

In a centre court as full as an egg (many tennis greats, from Chris Evert to Andre Agassi, but also actors like Matthew McConaughey, Nicole Kidman or Keira Knightley), the Spaniard won the first set 6-4, after having come back from 2-4, closing it with an incredible point: a backhand break recovery that turned into an impregnable shot for Sinner. Immediately he put his hand to his ear to hear the roar of the crowd, but then came Jannik's reaction in the second set: he stormed ahead, with Alcaraz even giving him - with two double faults - the 5-2 ball. He brought the set home, closing on 5-4 (and the serve on his side) with a sensational game, two backhand winners and a running forehand on which the Spaniard could do nothing. In the rest of the game, Alcaraz did not appear very continuous, he did not have any great flashes that allowed him to impose himself, while the Italian ground his game with constancy, gave no respite with his pressing, concretised his runs to the net (30 points) and, in the third set, obtained three break points, transforming the decisive one on 4 par. He then closed with his own serve and, capitalising on the favourable momentum, made a break at the start of the fourth set, on 1-all, with a winning backhand response. A break that Carlos never regained, despite two opportunities at 4-3, which he did not take advantage of. In the decisive moments, this time Sinner was cold. In the last game of the match, at 5-4, he served well, played with the lucidity of the champion.

Jannik thus interrupted Alcaraz's consecutive winning streak (it was five). The only match on the grass at Church Road, however, had been won by the Italian in 2022.

Today he played under the eyes of the Princes of Wales, Williame and Kate (who honoured him), who were present in the Royal Box with their children George and Charlotte. King Felipe VI arrived in London to support Alcaraz (there was no representative of the Italian institutions).