Jannik Sinner's coach Darren Cahill has said the rivalry between the world No.1 and Carlos Alcaraz is only set to improve, after the Italian claimed his first Wimbledon title with a five-set victory on Centre Court. Sinner fought back from a set down to win 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4, ending Alcaraz's 24-match winning run and avenging his French Open final defeat from five weeks earlier.
Cahill, who has coached Sinner for three years and previously worked with Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt and Simona Halep, praised the quality of their recent clashes. "The quality of Roland Garros I think was one of the best matches I've ever seen in the 25 years I've been a coach and a player," he said. "The rivalry I think is amazing already, and I think it can get better with both these players pushing each other."
The Australian also acknowledged that other young players are emerging, including Britain's Jack Draper, American Ben Shelton, Dane Holger Rune and Italian Lorenzo Musetti, while 18-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca broke into the top 50 for the first time on Monday. However, Cahill stressed that Sinner and Alcaraz remain a significant step ahead of the rest of the field, with the world No.1 holding almost twice the ranking points of third-placed Alexander Zverev.
Cahill revealed that Sinner closely monitors his rival's progress. "Carlos is a big focus," he said. "Jannik watches more Carlos matches than he does anybody else because he's fascinated with the improvements that are coming in his game." Meanwhile, Sinner told Italian media that by winning the final he won a bet with Cahill, allowing him to decide whether the Australian should reverse his decision to retire at the end of the season.
Both players will now rest before the North American hard-court swing, culminating in the US Open at the end of August, where Sinner will defend his title. Alcaraz, reflecting on his first grand slam final loss, said he is "really proud about being in a final", while Sinner expects his rival to bounce back strongly, adding: "He's going to come for us again. There is not only Carlos, but everyone. We have a big target on us."
