The most captivating current rivalry in men’s tennis will add another chapter on Friday. It’s Jannik Sinner vs. Carlos Alcaraz for the ninth time in their careers on the main tour in the French Open semifinals.
Their can’t-miss matches are all tied up at four wins apiece heading into this highly anticipated showdown at Roland-Garros. Although almost all of them have been entertaining, one stands alone above the rest: Alcaraz’s 6-3, 6-7(7), 6-7(0), 7-5, 6-3 in the 2022 U.S. Open quarterfinals, without question one of the best matches in recent tennis history. Sinner has won two of their last three meetings, but Alcaraz won their most recent encounter 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the Indian Wells semis.
Alcaraz went on to win the 2022 U.S. Open, after which he became No. 1 in the world for the first time. Now it is Sinner who will rise to the top spot for the first time–passing Novak Djokovic–regardless of Friday’s result. The 22-year-old Italian is 33-2 this season following wins in Paris over Chris Eubanks, Richard Gasquet, Pavel Kotov, Corentin Moutet, and Grigor Dimitrov. He has dropped just one set to Moutet and only one other set has been more competitive than 6-4 (a tiebreaker against Dimitrov). Dating back to last fall in Beijing, Sinner is 53-4 with five titles–including the Australian Open–plus a Davis Cup triumph for Italy. During this stretch he is 15-2 against top-10 opponents.
Just as Sinner has mostly silenced any questions about a recent hip problem, Alcaraz suddenly looks to be in peak form on the heels of a right-arm injury that reduced him to only one clay-court event prior to Roland-Garros (lost in the Madrid quarterfinals to Andrey Rublev). The third-ranked Spaniard surged into the semis for a second straight year by beating J.J. Wolf, Jesper de Jong, Sebastian Korda, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Like Sinner, Alcaraz has lost just a single set (to De Jong in round two).
Now the matchup everyone–even Daniil Medvedev–wants to see is set.
“I love these kind of matches,” Alcaraz assured. “I love this kind of challenge–to have a really difficult battle against him. The previous matches that we’ve played I think it was like that, and I love that.
“I think [Sinner] has nothing bad. Everything he does, he does it perfectly. The way that he hits the ball is unbelievable. The way he moves, it’s really, really [good]. He pushes you to the limit [with] every ball, in every point. I think it is the hardest thing to face Jannik. He probably is one of the most difficult challenge that we can face in tennis right now. I think he’s the best player in the world.”
The new rankings will confirm as much next week, and there is a good chance that Friday’s match does the same. Physically Alcaraz perhaps looks like the better of the two, but Sinner’s current level of tennis is better than everyone else’s. The second seed also plays with a greater margin for error than Alcaraz, which could be a huge factor in the pressure moments.
If Sinner can avoid another marathon of 2022 U.S. Open proportions, he could be on his way to a second straight slam final.
Pick: Sinner in 4
WHO YA GOT?
Don’t have any idea. Let me flip a coin.
Like it was said before, Alcaraz at his best has something extra which Sinner doesn’t. Alcaraz is a mix of Federer’s shotmaking with Nadal’s power and never-say-die attitude. That’s not to say that he’s ever going to match or surpass either of them.
Sinner is very similar to Djokovic, but he does not have the same kind of mean determination, he seems like a good guy.
Yes, Sinner is good on clay but I would say not as good as on more predictable surfaces. Better than most hardcourt specialists from top 10, for sure.
On Friday it’s going to be warm enough and dry in Paris. I expect Alcaraz to have an inspired performance and win in 4 or (more likely) 5.
Am still picking Alcaraz. Haven’t really seen Sinner play this RG though.
Just think he is the better clay courter.
Glad it’s the afternoon match.
Carlos in 4