Key events
Carlos Alcaraz wins the second set 6-3 to level the match at a set apiece!
*Alcaraz 2-6 6-3 Sinner At 30-0, Alcaraz lands a serve just the wrong side of the T then, after an inspection, nets a backhand. No matter: a lovely drop raises two set points, a backhand return is plenty long, and Alcaraz is dominating now!
Alcaraz 2-6 5-3 Sinner* A banging backhand cross makes 0-15, but Sinner clatters a winner of his own to level things – that feels like his first of those in a while. Which may or may not be the case, but it’s certainly the case that he’s doing so less often, Alcaraz doing a better job of keeping him on the move and keeping him guessing. From there, though, Sinner closes out, forcing his opponent to serve for the set – with new balls, which won’t do him any harm.
*Alcaraz 2-6 5-2 Sinner We said at the start that this match was likely to be decided by how well our players play, not how they play, and that’s been the case so far: Sinner was great in set one and Alcaraz was poor, whereas now he’s got his timing, especially on the forehand. Perhaps it took him a while to adjust to the court given the sun, or perhaps he was nervous; perhaps both. An error at 40-15, though, makes the consolidation tense, and a forehand into the corner from Sinner is enough for deuce – though Alcaraz almost lands an improbable riposte. Gosh, two big forehands lands really close to the line but make advantage, and from there, he secures the game. This is on a rolling boil now and there’s plenty more to come from both.
Alcaraz 2-6 4-2 Sinner* At 15-all, Alcaraz a backhand slice, but what a lob he conjures thereafter, even if Sinner had no business picking him out with plenty else at which to aim. And might it cost him? Alcaraz has that forehand working now, another booming expletive setting up a volley with Sinner stranded. And what a holler we hear when Sinner wallops a forehand wide! That’s the break and do we go ourselves a ball-game? We got ourselves a ball-game!
*Alcaraz 2-6 3-2 Sinner At 30-0, the comfy hold Alcaraz badly needs looks within grasp, but a double – greeted with a yelp of anguish – soon levels things. Sinner than swats a backhand wide having come in – that was a chance – and a monstrous forehand into the corner allows a straightforward putaway into the space. Much, much better from Alzcaraz and he leads a set for the first time.
Alcaraz 2-6 2-2 Sinner* A forehand error from Sinner then a jazzer from Alcaraz and suddenly it’s 0-30; is the Italian cooling a little? He might be! A double follows, and after a return drops out, Alcaraz again gets that forehand going, an exocet sent cross-court giving him the break-back! Do we got ourselves a ball-game?
*Alcaraz 2-6 1-2 Sinner Alcaraz has only held once and again finds himself down 0-15, but a leaping crackerjack of a forehand, inside-out to the corner, will have him feeling marginally better. Then, at 30-15, he wins a net battle, looking one way while playing his half-volley the other – that is beautiful and a tiny slice of pure, unadulterated Carlitos – finishes the point with a backhand down the line, then secures the game. Better from the Wimbledon champ.
Alcaraz 2-6 0-2 Sinner* Alcaraz played a bit better in the second half of the first set so it seemed fair to expect his improvement to continue; not so. Up 0-15, a backhand return zips long and wide, prompting much chuntering; those smiles that defuse tense moments are currently conspicuous by their absence. Still, a double gives him a sniff … but then Sinner canes a forehand on to the baseline and Alcaraz can’t control his response. He’s ticking here and I’m not surprised – this might be the worst I’ve seen him play – and when he’s hauled into the net via drop, the forehand clean-up is inevitable.
*Alcaraz 2-6 0-1 Sinner Alcaraz has some thinking to do. He’s already tried giving the ball more air, but the main issue, I think, was is how often he’s been missing on the forehand. And he doesn’t even get to hit one in the first point, a double handing over 0-15 … then another forehand error making 0-30. So needing the next point, he goes for it on second serve and is rewarded for that bravery, then a luscious drop levels things. Again, though, a poor groundstroke – this time on the backhand side – means a chance for another break, and facing a second delivery, Sinner will be aggravated that his backhand return falls long. But in a sadly predictable turn of events, yet another overhit forehand cedes advantage, a loopy return lands close to the line, and goodness me: Alcaraz goes long again! Sinner leads by a set and a break!
Jannik Sinner wins the first set 6-2!
Alcaraz 2-6 Sinner* Every now and again Alcaraz ups the forehand pace to supersonic, but generally Sinner seems to be thumping it harder and quickly makes 30-0. And though an error invites his opponent into the game, more concussive forehands raise 40-15 … then two rubbish ones take us to deuce! But a short ball from Alcaraz allows Sinner to take control of the next rally with a forehand into the corner, and eventually he forces the error, then a drop floats into the net and that is a very impressive set (of tennis) from the new world no1.
Alcaraz 2-5 Sinner* At 40-15, Alcaraz nets unnecessarily – he just can’t get his rhythm – Sinner isn’t letting him – and then a forehand down the line and into the corner earns a chance to drop and it’s good enough to force a netted response; deuce. And, well, eesh: a double follows … but Sinner surprisingly nets a forehand. No matter: Alcaraz nets another forehand – this is becoming an issue for him – then a sensational rally, featuring a drop, a lob and various gets, ends when the Spaniard hammers a forehand cross fractionally wide. He’s been broken three times in the set, and those are not words anyone supposed to type. After a little sit-down, Sinner will serve for 1-0!
Alcaraz 2-4 Sinner* With his opponent stranded at the net, Sinner clobbers a forehand pass for 15-0, but a succession of big forehands control the next rally – that’s pretty much how Alcaraz wants the points to look – and he levels the game, then again at 30-all with a lob on to the line that sets up overhead putaway. And what’s this? A Sinner error means break point, then they go backhand to backhand … and it’s the Italian who errs! Alcaraz has a break back, and though it may be too late to save this set, he’ll feel much better for it.
*Alcaraz 1-4 Sinner Almost every point on the Alcaraz serve is a struggle and Sinner makes 0-15 when a big forehand is enough to end the longest rally of the match so far at 20 strokes. The Spaniard, though. is adjusting, giving the ball more air at 30-15 before punishing a backhand winner down the line that’s followed by a loud “Vamos!” and fist-pump as he tries to get himself going. He closes out well after that, and is on the board.
Alcaraz 0-4 Sinner* On Monday, Sinner will be the new world number one, and he’s playing like he is – everything is unrushed, and he’s winning points easily – that’s a second love-hold out of two, and already, this set looks did.
*Alcaraz 0-3 Sinner Is Alcaraz is getting there? He makes 30-15 with a backhand winner. But Sinner returns a serve that’s nearly an ace with an excellent forehand hook into the corner and from there he levels the game – at the moment, he’s building the points better, and a backhand winner on to the line offers a point for a second break! And what on earth! Another decent return from Sinner asks a question, but a shank off the frame isn’t the wrong answer anyone was expecting and that is indeed a double break! It’s worth noting that in last year’s Wimbledon final, Djokovic won the first set 6-1, but Alcaraz isn’t in the kind of form now that he was in then.
Alcaraz 0-2 Sinner* I can’t get my head around why Sinner wears a rust-coloured t-shirt – perhaps to camouflage himself in the clay, but then why not bin the hat to get the barnet involved? While we ponder these vital questions, the man himself holds to love, and he’s looking great out there – winning in Australia has raised both his ceiling and floor.
*Alcaraz 0-1 Sinner (*denotes server) At 15-0 we see Sinner come in and, though he’s pushed back, he’s not pushed all the way back, and he backpeddles to paste a forehand winner cross-court from the backhand side. And have a look! A terrific slides sees him, legs akimbo, crack a backhand winner cross from round about the same spot – these are very good signs. Alcaraz, though, makes 40-30 … only to then net, tentative with the point at his Murcia mercy, settling himself with an ace down the T. But when he tries his first drop, Sinner chases it down – there’s that higher bounce – then makes advantage. Already this is an intense, compelling contest that feels like it could still be going on tomorrow – please! – and when Alcaraz dumps a second forehand, Sinner has the break!
Alcaraz to serve and … play.
These two have played eight times so far and it’s 4-4. And remember last year, Alcaraz’s body – and, if we’re honest, mind – gave up on him against Djokovic, the stress of the contest causing him to cramp up. That won’t happen today because he’ll have made certain it won’t happen again, ever, but he won’t have forgotten it.
Our players are in the tunnel, stretching. I cannot wait for this, and the happy chance is that I don’t have to – we’re ready, and here they come!
I guess I’m leaning Sinner, now that you don’t ask, because I think he has greater momentum. But if Alacaraz is at it, as the better, more experienced clay-courter – and still, just about, I think, the better player – I’d go with him
It’s sunny today, which means decent pace and bounce – and yes I did type that in Michael Holding’s voice. I wonder if that might help Sinner, as Alcaraz loves a drop, but as I consider that, Àlex Corretja explains that it might favour Carlitos, who uses more top-spin on the forehand and is better at moving side to side.
Calvin Betton, our resident coach, messages on the second semi: “If it’s FH to FH then Ruud, if it’s BH To BH, Zverev. Zverrev has the best first serve in the game and best BH in the game plus he makes a lot of them; Ruud’s BH is very poor.”
And of course that’s not our only match: later on, Katy Murrells will coax you through Casper Ruud v Alexander Zverev in a repeat of last year’s semi – which Ruud won in three. I’m not sure it’ll be like that this time, but – Zverev has improved a lot since then and has the bigger weapons. Consequently, if he plays well he almost definitely wins, but if Ruud can get after what remains a dicky forehand – he’s just better at hiding it now – and second serve, he’s a chance.
Preamble
Tennis is in a funny place at the moment; a funny place, but a great place. When watching the women’s competitions, we’re generally clueless as to what might come to pass – who had Mirra Andreeva and Jasmine Paolini as semi-finalists? No one. Whereas watching the men, we feel like we more or less know – who had Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev as semi-finalists? Er, everyone? The only surprise is the absence of Novak Djokovic, and but for injury he’d presumably have found a way of sneaking in.
Now, though, who knows? Over the last year or so, Jannik Sinner has discovered his best self, adding pop to his already nails groundstrokes and improving his hands at the net. He also knows he can come from behind then stay calm enough to see out the win, in the final of a Grand Slam – and that he’s still got plenty of improving left to do.
Carlos Alcaraz knows the same things – yes, without the staying calm bit, but that’s the beauty of him and a beauty of this contest. Like Sinner, he’ll attack everything, but unlike Sinner, you simply cannot predict how; the tuissle is artist v artisan, jamming v playing and freestyling v rapping.
So what are the points of difference? Well, Sinner hits it slightly harder but Alcaraz hits it slightly more consistently, and on clay the latter is of slightly greater use. But on this occasion the sense is that style – how they play – will be subservient to substance – how well they play. Or, in other words, I don’t have a clue, and anyone who says they do is lying. What, though, feels certain, is that this match-up is not just the present but the future – and it’s going to be great.
Play: not before 2.30pm local, 1.30pm BST
