Rivalry intensifies as Alcaraz and Sinner contest first grand slam final

Towards the final stretch of the big three’s unprecedented period of dominance, as it became clear Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic would vacate their thrones, the future of men’s tennis was clouded in uncertainty. Although there was a talented, competitive generation of players born in the 1990s waiting to take their place, the gulf in quality was significant. For a short time, there were opportunities for someone brave enough to take them.

The past fortnight in Paris has again underlined how Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have emphatically shut the door on this prospect. As they prepare to face each other in a grand slam final for the first time, at Roland Garros on Sunday, it will mark the sixth consecutive grand slam that has been won by either Sinner, the world No 1, or the world No 2, Alcaraz.

This also represents the first major final between two players born in the 2000s. Dominic Thiem’s victory over Alexander Zverev in the 2020 US Open final is the only final between two players born in the 1990s.

Six years ago, in his first ATP challenger tournament and third professional outing overall, a 15-year-old Alcaraz was drawn against Sinner at the Juan Carlos Ferrero Academy in Villena, Spain, his training base. The pair had received wildcards, with Alcaraz unranked and a 17-year-old Sinner holding a ranking of No 319. Alcaraz won in three sets.

Since then, every meeting has only heightened the anticipation that this would be the most important rivalry in the men’s game. By the time they were battling at almost 3am in their 2022 US Open quarter-final, an instant classic won in five sets by Alcaraz en route to his first grand slam title, this felt inevitable.