Match ReportSpaniard seeking sixth major, Italian fourth
July 13, 2025
HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images
Carlos Alcaraz in action against Jannik Sinner on Sunday at Wimbledon. By Sam Jacot
Carlos Alcaraz has taken an early lead against Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final on Sunday. The Spaniard leads the Italian 6-4 after 45 minutes of high-quality action on Centre Court.
The two-time defending champion Alcaraz came out aggressively, hitting with heavy pace into Sinner’s forehand to rush the Italian. The World No. 2 also used the drop shot frequently and showed trademark resilience to rally from to 2-4, sealing the set with a backhand defensive block on the stretch after a brutal baseline exchange, where both players were pulled from side to side.
Last month, Alcaraz pulled off a thrilling escape at Roland Garros, saving three championship points to claw past Sinner in an epic five-set, five-hour, 29-minute final. That victory kept his flawless record in major finals intact (5-0) and pushed his Lexus ATP Head2Head advantage against the Italian to 8-4.
Alcaraz, who has beaten Sinner in their past five meetings, arrives in the Wimbledon final riding a career-best 24-match winning streak. If he claims his sixth major title and sixth crown of the year, he’ll join Bjorn Borg as the only men in the Open Era to complete the Roland Garros–Wimbledon double in back-to-back years. Borg did it from 1978 to 1980.
Though Alcaraz faced a scare in the first round against Fabio Fognini, stretching to five sets, he’s been firing on all cylinders since the fourth round. The 22-year-old has earned second-week victories against Andrey Rublev, Cameron Norrie and Taylor Fritz and is just one win away from becoming only the fifth man ever to win three consecutive Wimbledon titles.
Sinner is seeking Wimbledon redemption following his Roland Garros heartbreak. The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings dispatched Novak Djokovic in straight sets to complete the set of final appearances at all four Grand Slam events. He is the 11th man to complete that feat in the Open Era.
The 23-year-old boasts a 3-1 record in major finals, having kicked off the year with victory at the Australian Open. A win on Sunday would make him the first Italian ever to lift the Wimbledon trophy — a feat his countryman Matteo Berrettini came to within a match of in 2021 before falling to Djokovic in four sets.
World No. 1 Sinner leads the PIF ATP Live Rankings with 11,330 points, while Alcaraz has 8,600 points, giving Sinner a 2,730-point advantage. But that margin will shift dramatically depending on Sunday’s championship match. If Sinner wins his first Wimbledon title, his lead will grow to 3,430 points. However, if Alcaraz claims his third consecutive Wimbledon crown, he will narrow the gap to 2,030 points.
Did You Know?
In the Open Era, Sinner and Alcaraz are the only Roland Garros final opponents to meet again in the same season’s Wimbledon championship besides Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who did it in three consecutive years from 2006 through 2008. Sinner and Alcaraz have split the past six majors.
