Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner met once again in a Grand Slam final, this time on the storied grass courts of Wimbledon. The match was highly anticipated, with Alcaraz entering as the defending champion and boasting a five-match winning streak over Sinner. But the Italian broke through, winning in four sets and becoming the first player from his country to claim the singles title at the All England Club.

Courier’s Critique of Alcaraz’s Strategy

American tennis legend Jim Courier highlighted a recurring issue in Alcaraz’s approach during the final. He noted that Alcaraz was engaging in extended rallies with Sinner, exchanging powerful groundstrokes without enough tactical variation. According to Courier, the Spaniard failed to utilize his slice backhand and drop shot effectively—tools that had previously given him an edge over Sinner on slower surfaces.

This is what he said:

“Far too often in this match, if you’re an Alcaraz fan, and I am. He was in those rallies where he was exchanging cannon fire with Sinner. He wasn’t able to use the slice backhand as much as I had anticipated. You talked about how he didn’t really use the drop shot to great effect.

He did early in the match, caught Sinner off guard a few times, but then Jannik was on to it. It was played a little too staccato for Carlos. It needed to have a little bit more variation. But this surface makes it really difficult to do it. You don’t have to take our word for it, just ask Ben Shelton, who talked about how fast the ball was coming onto his racket.

It’s difficult when you don’t have as much time, and the last five matches that Jannik has lost to Carlos have been on far slower surfaces.”

The Surface Factor

Grass courts, known for their speed and low bounce, played a significant role in neutralizing Alcaraz’s usual arsenal. Courier emphasized that the fast surface limited Alcaraz’s time to execute his diverse shot selection, making it harder to disrupt Sinner’s rhythm. This lack of variation allowed Sinner to dictate play more consistently, a shift that proved decisive in the outcome.

Looking Ahead

With this loss, Alcaraz’s unbeaten streak in Grand Slam finals came to an end. The defeat not only marked a turning point in his rivalry with Sinner but also served as a learning moment. As the tennis calendar moves toward the US Open, Alcaraz will likely reassess his tactics, especially on faster courts, to regain his dominance and adapt to the evolving challenge posed by his Italian counterpart.

Jannik Sinner in 2025

Ranked world no.1, the Italian played his last match on the 13^th of July when he overcame world no.2 Carlos Alcaraz 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 in the final in Wimbledon to win his 21^st career title.

Currently, during this year Jannik achieved a composed 26-3 match record. Sinner conquered 2 titles in 2025 at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Sinner was the runner-up in Rome and French Open.

Carlos Alcaraz in 2025

Currently the world no.2, Carlos played his last contest on the 13^th of July when he was overcome by world no.1 Jannik Sinner 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 in the final in Wimbledon (draw).

Currently, during this season Carlos has achieved a composed 48-6 record. Carlos conquered 5 titles in 2025 in Rotterdam, Monte-Carlo, Rome, French Open and London. The Spaniard was the finalist in Barcelona and Wimbledon.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz fought against each other 14 times. Their record is 9-5 for Alcaraz.

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