Spaniard won in Paris, Italian took the title at Wimbledon. Part three in New York could be another classic
O
n a tranquil evening in Manhattan last week, Carlos Alcaraz was making his exit from an Italian restaurant with his sizeable support team when he unexpectedly found himself staring at a familiar face. There was Jannik Sinner, quietly enjoying his own dinner. This was the second occasion during the US Open Alcaraz and Sinner just so happened to be dining at the same restaurant at the same time. Neither player could hide their amusement as they greeted each other warmly.
Considering the frequency of their meetings it would not be unreasonable if they were starting to get sick of each other: “On court we like to see each other, because it means that considering our ranking, we are doing well in the tournament,” said Sinner.” Off court we bump into each other at times. I don’t know if we are happy or not.”
There is at least one more meeting to come in New York. The first US Open final of their rivalry also represents a historic moment. It is the first time in the Open era that two men have faced each other in three grand slam finals in one season, and in consecutive major tournaments. It also marks their fifth consecutive final, their most recent meeting coming in Cincinnati last month, when Sinner retired trailing 5-0 due to illness. As if the stakes are not already high enough, Sinner’s ranking is also on the line. If Alcaraz wins, he will replace the Italian as the world No 1.
