Sinner v. Alcaraz: Wimbledon men’s final a rematch of dramatic French Open

The fortnite at Wimbledon is about to conclude with some intriguing matchups. A pair of heatwaves have overshadowed much of the competition to this point but will take a backseat this weekend.

Who has the edge in the men’s final?

The top two men’s players in the world will resume their rivalry. World number one Jannik Sinner took care of business Friday, July 11, beating an ailing Novak Djokovic in straight sets to set up a rematch with No. 2-ranked Carlos Alcaraz. Sinner has yet to win a Wimbledon title, and Alcaraz is the two-time defending champion.

The two played an epic final at the French Open a month ago, which Alcaraz won. The Spaniard is a perfect 5-0 in Grand Slam finals. The 23-year-old Italian, Sinner, is looking forward to the rematch.

“Hopefully it’s going to be a good match, like the last one,” Sinner said. “I don’t know if it’ll get better, because I don’t think it’s possible.”

Sinner owns three Grand Slam titles, including last year’s U.S. Open. The 22-year-old Alcaraz, who beat American Taylor Fritz Friday, July 11, takes a career-best 24-match winning streak into Sunday’s final, including that French Open win in June.

“It was the best match I have ever played so far,” Alcaraz said. “I’m not surprised he pushed me to the limit, and I expect that on Sunday.”

Is this the end for Novak Djokovic?

The legendary Djokovic hinted at retirement after his loss in the French Open semis, also to Sinner. After his loss Friday, however, he said he wants to come back next year, but Father Time is catching up to him.

“The reality hits me right now, the last year and a half like never before, to be honest,” Djokovic said. “It’s tough for me to accept that because when I am fresh, when I am fit, I still feel like I can play very good tennis.”

Djokovic is still one win away from breaking the all-time mark of 24 career Grand Slam titles held by Australia’s Margaret Court.

“I think, regardless of the fact that I haven’t won a Grand Slam this year, or last year, I still feel like I continue to play my best tennis at Grand Slams,” Djokovic said. “Those are the tournaments that I care about at this stage of my career the most.”

Who will match up in the women’s final?

On the women’s side, 13-seed Amanda Anisimova took down top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday, July 10. It’s her first Wimbledon final. She’ll face off against 8-seed Iga Swiatek on Saturday, July 12. Anisimova is trying to become the first American woman to win Wimbledon since Serena Williams in 2016.

“It’s really hard trying to have to play perfect tennis because that’s the only way you can really get the win,” Anisimova said. “I feel like we really fought out there, and the conditions weren’t easy.”

In May 2023, Anisimova took time off from the tour after suffering burnout and struggling with her mental health. Most of the last two weeks, she has talked about how she got back on track when others told her she would never return to top form after being away for so long.

“To be honest, if you told me I would be in the final of Wimbledon, I would not believe you,” Anisimova said. “At least not this soon, because it’s been a year turnaround since coming back, and to be in this spot, it’s not easy. So many people dream of competing on this incredible court. It’s been such a privilege to compete here, and to be in the final is just indescribable, honestly.”

The oppressive heat is still a factor at the All-England Club. Play had to be stopped twice, both on Thursday and Friday, for fans to get medical attention in the Centre Court stands. This weekend temperatures should once again be in the mid to high 80s.