Tennis-Sinner sets up battle of the generations with Djokovic

Muzali Arts

03/07/2022 22:54

By Pritha Sarkar
    LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) - Nothing could throw Jannik Sinner
off course on Sunday as he zoned in on securing a blockbuster
quarter-final date with six-times champion Novak Djokovic at
Wimbledon.
    Even when Carlos Alcaraz snatched away two match points
during a spellbinding third-set tiebreak, the Italian did not
flinch. 
    When three more match points disappeared within a blink of
an eye with Sinner 5-2 up in the fourth set, the Italian kept on
believing.
    And it was that belief, along with a sledgehammer of a
forehand, that carried him into the Wimbledon quarter-finals for
the first time with a 6-1 6-4 6-7(8) 6-3 victory over the
Spanish fifth seed.
    On a day when Wimbledon's most famous stage celebrated its
centenary, the two youngest players left in the men's draw gave
a glimpse of the future with some breathtaking shot-making that
earned them a standing ovation from 15,000 hollering fans. 
    "It's tough when you have match point and you still have to
play -- I tried my best," said Sinner, who until this week had
never won a match on grass.
    "I'm very happy how I reacted in the beginning of the fourth
because I was struggling but I'm very happy to be in the next
round and hopefully I can play some good tennis there."
    With Wimbledon's all-time greats Rod Laver and Billie Jean
King watching on from the Royal Box, the first two sets gave
absolutely no indication of the nail-biting drama that would
unfold on Centre Court.
     The highly-rated Alcaraz, who has won a Tour-leading four
titles this year, was sucked into a Sinner whirlwind as he lost
seven games in a row from 1-1 in the first set.
    Just when it seemed that Sinner would unceremoniously freeze
out the friend with whom he had shared an ice bath two days
earlier, Alcaraz's fearsome forehand suddenly started to cause
some damage.
    At 6-6 in the third set, it was game on in the battle of the
belting forehands. 
    Sinner denied Alcaraz three chances to close out the set,
with the Italian 10th seed saving the third of those set points
with an outrageous crosscourt missile that was clocked at more
than 100mph.
    Not to be outdone, the Spaniard then denied Sinner two match
points before earning a standing ovation when he flicked over an
audacious half volley to end what had been a brutal baseline
exchange.
    That brought up his fourth set point, and this time Alcaraz
made no mistake as he wore down his opponent during a 13-shot
rally that ended with Sinner clubbing a backhand wide.
    At the start of the fourth set, Sinner's survival instincts
kicked in as Alcaraz went on the attack to earn five break
points.
    Unfortunately for the Spaniard, he not only failed to
convert any of those chances but then tamely surrendered his own
serve in the fourth game with a double fault.
    But Alcaraz is not tipped as a Grand Slam
champion-in-waiting for nothing and he showed his pedigree by
saving another three match points from 15-40 down while trailing
5-2.
    In the next game, he even had a chance to get the set back
on serve when he nosed ahead 30-40 on Sinner's serve. A cruel
net cord that rolled back denied Alcaraz the break and two
points later Sinner was shaking his clenched fists in triumph.  
 

 (Reporting by Pritha Sarkar, editing by Clare Fallon)
 ((pritha.sarkar@thomsonreuters.com;  +44 20 7542 7933; Reuters
Messaging: pritha.sarkar.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net;))