Jannik Sinner couldn’t resist poking fun at his brother Mark after clinching his maiden Wimbledon title. The Italian joked that his brother only showed up to watch the final because there was no Formula 1 race that day.
On Sunday, July 13, Sinner defeated five-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in a gripping three-hour, four-minute battle on Centre Court.
Earlier this year in May, Sinner’s brother had skipped the Italian Open final – where Alcaraz beat Sinner 7-6, 6-1 – to attend the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. This time, however, he was in the stands, proudly cheering the World No. 1 to a historic grass-court triumph.
“For me, this is really special. Seeing my parents here, my brother, and my whole team – it’s amazing. A special thanks to my brother – he’s only here because there’s no Formula One race this weekend! (laughs),” Sinner said in the on-court interview.
Sinner recovers from tough Paris loss
Sinner also reflected on how he rebounded from his heartbreaking loss to Alcaraz in the French Open final, where the Spaniard came from two sets down and saved multiple championship points to snatch the title. The World No. 1 said he took valuable lessons from that defeat, which helped shape his mindset heading into Wimbledon.
“Honestly, mostly emotionally. I had a very tough loss in Paris, and at the end of the day, whether you win or lose – especially at the big tournaments – what really matters is how you respond,” Sinner said.
“We tried to accept that loss, to learn from it, and to work harder. That’s exactly what we did. And it’s one of the reasons I’m holding this trophy now. I’m just so grateful to be healthy, to have great people around me – that’s the most important thing. Holding this trophy means so much,” Sinner added.
Alcaraz graciously acknowledged Sinner as the deserving winner of the Wimbledon title and congratulated him on the historic feat. With the victory, Sinner became the first Italian to lift the men’s singles trophy at the All England Club.
“Yeah, I mean it’s always difficult to lose, especially in a final. But first of all, I want to congratulate Jannik once again. Congratulations to you – every week, you’re doing amazing things. You really deserved this trophy. You played unbelievable tennis here in London, and I’m happy for you and your team.
Alcaraz, who was bidding to become only the fifth man to win Wimbledon three years in a row, started strong but soon lost his rhythm. Since returning from injury after missing the Madrid Open, the Spaniard had been on a 24-match winning streak – capturing titles at the Italian Open, French Open, and Queen’s Club Championships – before his unbeaten run was finally halted on the grass courts of Wimbledon.
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