Tennis
U.S. Open
In early June, Jannik Sinner suffered the sort of defeat that could cause years of psychological damage. He squandered three match points in the fourth set of the French Open final, before losing a fifth-set tiebreak to his nearest and only rival at the top of tennis, Carlos Alcaraz.
So he went home. Sinner retreated to Sesto, the tiny Alpine village in northwest Italy where he was raised, seeking the comfort of his family. His parents and his grandfather still live there.
Five weeks later, Sinner won Wimbledon, beating Alcaraz after dropping a first set that Alcaraz had won with the kind of impossible stolen point that he has used to crush the spirits of opponents, including Sinner. A Wimbledon title is the kind of life-changing triumph that has sent previous winners’ heads and hearts into the clouds. Sinner, a tall and handsome 24-year-old who has already amassed a nine-figure fortune in prize money and endorsement deals, could satisfy nearly any desire with a few taps of his phone.
