Jannik Sinner secured his inaugural Wimbledon title, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in four sets 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday afternoon. The contest unfolded over three hours and four minutes.
Sinner is the first Italian to seize a Wimbledon title while ending a five-match losing streak against Alcaraz, which stretched back to the start of 2024. That included a demanding five-set face-off earlier this year at the French Open. Alcaraz’s bid to secure a third consecutive championship at the All-England Tennis Club was unsuccessful.
The world No. 1 player and top seed seized what became the critical third set, eventually breaking Alcaraz for a 5-4 advantage after neither competitor would cede serve. Sensing victory within reach, Sinner launched his serve past the No. 2 Alcaraz, notching an ace to gain the upper hand.
In the fourth set, Sinner established an early 3-1 lead by breaking Alcaraz’s serve, securing two consecutive backhands that angled down the line and beyond reach. Alcaraz lacked a response, particularly as he struggled to maintain his serve.
While Alcaraz persevered to rally in the set, Sinner dominated with his serve, often directing the ball directly at Alcaraz, preventing him from leveraging his athleticism along the baseline. The returns Alcaraz managed were primarily defensive, focused on simply making contact with the ball.
Sinner also displayed unexpected creativity to counter Alcaraz’s aggressiveness. At one point, he executed a shot behind his back and between his legs during the third set. He followed that play by leaping high for a forehand return that crossed the court just beyond Alcaraz’s reach.
The initial set met the anticipations for a compelling match. Alcaraz gained control early, overwhelming Sinner with his serve and capturing the first two points. Sinner ultimately regained composure and managed a break, perhaps capitalizing on Alcaraz’s excessive zeal. Sinner then held and claimed a 4-2 lead in the set.
Carlos Alcaraz pursued his third consecutive Wimbledon title, but lost to Jannik Sinner in the 2025 men’s final. The defeat also ended a five-match winning streak against Sinner. (Photo by Shi Tang/Getty Images)
(Shi Tang via Getty Images)
However, Alcaraz’s agility aided his triumph as he stretched far into the right corner for a return, then extended himself for a backhand volley that bounced just beyond Sinner’s reach.
Sinner won the second set, maintaining composure while Alcaraz risked diversifying his shots. Sinner managed to reach almost every Alcaraz volley, darting swiftly along the baseline and demonstrating outstanding reach in securing slices and drops.
With the Wimbledon title, Sinner has now triumphed in three of the last four Grand Slam tournaments. His performance during that period is 27-1. He and Alcaraz have collectively won the past seven Grand Slams, starting from the 2024 Australian Open.
Tennis balls and Champagne corks flying around Centre Court
Sinner not only had to contend with Alcaraz, but also had to avoid Champagne corks popping from the stands. During the second set, a stray cork landed on the court behind Sinner as he prepared to serve.
Jannik Sinner picks up a popped Champagne cork which landed on the court during his match against Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s singles final at Wimbledon on Sunday. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Getty Images)
(Tim Clayton via Getty Images)
“That’s precisely why we cherish playing here,” he remarked with amusement. “It’s also a rather costly tournament.”
The umpire cautioned the audience numerous times throughout the tournament regarding the opening of Champagne bottles and the loud popping sounds they produced as players were serving. However, this was the first instance in which a cork actually landed on the playing surface. A ball girl rushed to retrieve the cork from Sinner after he collected it. (During his post-match interview, Sinner expressed gratitude to the ball girls and ball boys for their dedicated efforts.)
Following the match, Sinner appeared almost as thrilled about securing a lifetime membership to the All-England Tennis Club as he was about winning Wimbledon. (To be fair, he was questioned about that.)
“It sounds incredible; I hope my career lasts a bit longer, and afterward, I can return here,” he stated on-court. “It’s amazing to be in this position.”
“We discussed before the match that we never envisioned ourselves being in this position when I was younger,” he continued. “This was merely a dream, the dream of a dream because it was so distant from my origins. I’m simply living my dream.”
He also expressed gratitude to his brother, who attended the match “because there isn’t a Formula 1 race this weekend.” (Via the BBC.)
On the other hand, Alcaraz thanked the king of Spain for attending the tournament and stated his intention to return to pursue a third Wimbledon title.
“Certainly, I will be back,” he affirmed. “Wimbledon is among the most exquisite tournaments we have on tour.”
“I feel at ease every time I come here,” he continued. “It is such a stunning court, and I relish playing in front of all of you. The atmosphere is incredible. I must express my gratitude, and I will undoubtedly return.”
Here is a review of how Sunday’s Wimbledon gentlemen’s singles final transpired as Yahoo Sports tracked events with updates on its live blog:
