Roland Garros | Sinner number 1, waiting for Alcaraz

“The future is impossible to predict. “It’s a dream and we’re working to be as close as possible,” Jannik Sinner said when asked about No. 1, days after winning the Australian Open. This dream came true on Tuesday, June 4, in Paris, during the Roland Garros quarterfinal game against Grigor Dimitrov. Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal due to injury made him, until almost Monday, the 29th tennis player to reach the top of the rankings since its inception in 1972.

“He’s No. 1 right now, so he’s the favorite. It won’t be easy to win,” assessed Carlos Alcaraz ahead of his new fight this Friday with a four-win draw. “Everyone wants to see this semi-final. “I think it will be very great for tennis and for the fans,” said the Murcian tennis player, who took a break this Wednesday to visit the Palace of Versailles with his team and his family. “A little vitamin H” as they call it. Nature day to recharge your batteries and prepare for the big semi-final. Advanced final. Duel of generations of heirs of the “Big Three”.

Battle of Roland Garros 2024. Match to avoid distractions. Sinner did just that, while Italy woke up crazy about their number 1. For the first time in history. The Italian tennis player avoided any euphoria, following a methodical work regime. “Number 1 is very good, but I didn’t come to Paris to look for it, I’m here to improve my game on clay,” he explained.

“Number 1 is the result of many years of work. Matches are not won on the day they are played, but through preparation, work for months, and maybe years,” he insisted.

Spectacular development

Sinner has made impressive progress over the past six months since defeating Novak Djokovic in the Davis Cup last November. But his progress grew slowly, away from the explosion with which Alcaraz entered the track. “He needs to be prepared,” said Italian journalists who doubted his capabilities.

Since the Masters final, which he played in Turin before the Davis Cup, Sinner has lost only 3 of 43 matches. During this period, in addition to the Salad Bowl for Italy, he won the Australian Open, the Rotterdam tournament and the Miami Masters 1000. His only defeats were in the Masters final against Djokovic, this year in the Indian Wells semi-final against Alcaraz and in the Monte Carlo semi-final against Tsitsipas.

But Sinner’s success came from afar when he decided to leave San Candido, the town in the Dolomites where he was born 22 years ago., in South Tyrol, to enroll at the age of 13 at the academy of his first mentor, Riccardo Piatti, in Bordighera in Lugeria, Italy, near Monte Carlo. A real change for a child who has a happy home and competes among the best skiers of his age.

Be stronger

“I just thought that if I want to get stronger, I need to try something new. This was a necessary step that helped me grow faster. Even in life,” he said in a recent interview with Vanityfair. He became a professional tennis player with Piatti, but did not hesitate to take the step forward when two years agodecided to work with Simone Vagnozzi and Australian Darren Cahill, a coach who has coached four number one players under his belt.

A valuable risk, always aimed at becoming a better player. This is true for himself. “Continue to be who I am. Success should never change a person,” he said on Tuesday, reaffirming his No. 1 ranking while keeping Djokovic in mind. “It’s sad to see Novak leave the tournament, I wish him a speedy recovery.”

Maximum rivalry

The Sinner is a pre-Alcaraz character. The Italian is cool, calm, and patient, while the Murcian tennis player is explosive, cheerful and temperamental. The perfect yin-yang for the generational change in tennis, which is looking for the heirs of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. “Hopefully in the next 10 or 15 years I will continue to fight him. I’m grateful that Yannick is on the track. Thanks to him, he helps me become better, improve and level up to beat him. “To fight for great things together with him,” the current third world number stood out.

More than a match

On the court, these two show different personalities, but their tennis is equally impressive. Possessing powerful punches, Sinner improved his physique and shaped his body with a lot of effort. Tactically, the Italian is organized and very united. Alcaraz is cooler. The variety of the game lifts the spirits of the crowd in the stands. Capable of delivering any blow and using magical blows, which have become one of his weapons. “This shot suits me very well. I trained him since childhood. When I went with my dad, he played this sensory game with me: cut and go,” he explained.

This Friday, even though the schedule is yet to be determined, there will be much more at stake than just the game. “We have to be willing to do whatever it takes. This is one of the biggest problems. “He has improved a lot and is very difficult to beat,” Alcaraz emphasized.