Grass meets its gilded era
There was a time, not long ago, when men's tennis kept one foot in the future but the other firmly in the past. Change was always on the horizon; but, like a sun that never quite set, the old gods lingered.
For nearly two decades, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic redefined the sport. However, as Centre Court prepares to witness Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner face off in the Wimbledon final, there is no longer an iota of confusion that the new era is deep rooted.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The 2025 final at the All England Club is the verification: in Alcaraz and Sinner, tennis has found its new centre of gravity. Their names now orbit the Grand Slam calendar the way the terrific trio once did; and today's meeting will mark the seventh consecutive major claimed by the deadly duo.
"I just hope not to be five-and-a-half hours on court again. If I have to, I will."
Just five weeks ago in Paris, they produced one of the greatest matches in Grand Slam history. That French Open final was, in Alcaraz's own words, "the best match I have ever played so far", while Sinner said, "I don't know if it'll get better than Paris [2025], because I don't think it's possible."
A five-hour-and-29-minute epic at the clay colosseum had everything: athleticism, emotion, nerves and resilience. Sinner had three match points; Alcaraz, however, as he so often does, found another level from the brink of despair.
But if Paris was where Sinner slipped, London might be where he lands. The Italian has parked the pain of that defeat and stormed into his first Wimbledon final by dismantling a hobbled Djokovic in straight sets. In doing so, he beat the man who had featured in six consecutive Wimbledon finals prior to this edition; symbolically closing the curtain on an era.
"Hopefully it's going to be a good match, like the last one."
"It's just age… the wear and tear of the body," Djokovic admitted, as his wait for an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam continues.
Alcaraz, already a two-time defending champion at Wimbledon, will arrive on the back of a career-best 24-match winning streak. The 22-year-old Spaniard has never lost a Grand Slam final.
"The things we are doing right now are great for tennis," he said. Few would disagree.
Sinner, for his part, knows the odds: "He [Alcaraz] is the favourite. He's again in the final. It's very tough to beat him on grass. But I like these challenges," said the 23-year-old Italian.
If Sinner's icy baseline precision and recent hard-court dominance make him a methodical counterweight to Alcaraz's dynamism and willpower, their rivalry could mirror the balance once provided by the Big Three.
And therein lies the narrative: this is not merely about two players, but more about the future finally standing strong on its own two feet. The era of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer thrived not just because of individual greatness, but for how they forced each other into greatness.
In Alcaraz and Sinner, tennis may have found its next great axis.
In this Wimbledon that began with speculation and sentiment about a fading champion, it now ends with clarity.
History suggests the grand finale on the hallowed lawns will be tight. Expect fire, finesse, and perhaps another five-set epic.
Rivalry by the numbers
Carlos Alcaraz (World No. 2) versus Jannik Sinner (1)
Head-to-head: Alcaraz leads 8–4 (won last 5)
Grand Slam Finals record: Alcaraz 5–0, Sinner 3–1
Major titles (combined): 8
Combined 2025 Slam titles: 3 of 3 so far
Streaks: Alcaraz 24-match winning streak; Sinner 4th straight Slam final
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