Sinner covers himself in gold with a new triumph at Wimbledon

BarcelonaJannik Sinner is becoming the Midas king of tennis. The young Italian, world number 1, has revalidated the champion title at Wimbledon after defeating the German Alexander Zverev. It is the fifth Grand Slam title for the 24-year-old from South Tyrol, who already shone at the All England Club in Wimbledon a year ago, when he defeated Carlos Alcaraz. Today he did so against a Zverev who put up a fight with very solid play similar to what we had seen a few months ago at Roland Garros, when the German won the first Grand Slam title of his career. But Sinner has ended his dream of winning a second major title this season in a final decided in four sets (6-7, 7-6, 6-3, and 6-4).

Sinner has faced a very confident Zverev, especially with his serve, in a very evenly matched final where it was very difficult to achieve service breaks. Both hit hard and secured their shots in an exciting final in which the German has proven to be a new man, after his triumph in Paris. But Sinner could not miss this opportunity to consolidate himself at the very top of the tennis Olympus, now that his great rival, Carlos Alcaraz, is injured. If at Roland Garros he fell very quickly in the second round due to a heatstroke, at Wimbledon he has revalidated the crown with style, eliminating the veteran Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and Zverev in the grand final. The final dragged on like a day without bread, waiting for those details, be it in the tie-break or in the games, that would decide this duel in the sun.

The final was exciting, as Zverev is living the best moment of his career. In fact, he had never gone past the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and today he almost won, striking first and taking the first tie-break. But Sinner is a constant, calm man. The second tie-break was his. He hardly loses his nerve and has been competing, bringing the match to his territory. He always seems focused, but from time to time he shifts up a gear and the balls, hit hard, go to the line. As if he were a mathematician calculating trajectories, always impeccable, always serene. He doesn't have the power of players like Alcaraz, Nadal or Djokovic. Sometimes he resembles Federer more, without the Swiss player's inimitable elegance. This is how he won the third set, with a single break at the right moment. And in the fourth set, the same. The final was even, but the details were seized by a Sinner who won the tournament by taking advantage of the first match point.

In the end, Sinner achieved a triumph that, incidentally, allows him to pocket almost five million euros in prize money. Throughout his career, he has already won more than 70 million. A player covered in gold who delights Italian sport, even though, in his early days, many past tennis players disowned him because they saw him as not very Italian, as he comes from a German-speaking region in South Tyrol. A player who seems to adapt well to English grass. For now, he has two finals and two victories. "This time you were close and if you play like this I'm sure you'll also have this cup at home someday. You were incredible. Keep going. I know your goal is to be number 1 in the world and you are very close, I will have to be very careful," Sinner said at the end, thinking of Zverev. "It has been very hot days. No rain for the first time and that's incredible. I want to thank all the ball boys for everything they do. They make our lives on the court as simple as possible. Thank you," he added, always shy, not very talkative.

This season he already has six titles. He has won the five Masters 1000 played this season and now, at Wimbledon. In addition, he has already reached one hundred victories in Grand Slam tournaments. And he is the Italian with the most individual victories in these tournaments. He is already the best Italian tennis player of all time, in fact.

With his triumph, the Wimbledon folder closes, where the favorite in the men's draw has won. The same has not happened in the women's category, where Czech Linda Nosková won, defeating her compatriot Karolína Muchová. The next stage will be in Flushing Meadows, in New York. And, in theory, Carlos Alcaraz will not be there either. It will be a new opportunity for Sinner to continue growing his record.