There are points that are tastier to win than others on a tennis court. These endless exchanges, which push the athletes to the limits of the prowess of their bodies, are part of it. In the night from Friday to Saturday in Miami, in the semi-final of the Floridian Masters 1000, the Italian Jannik Sinner (11th in the world) and the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz (1st) offered the public and tennis lovers one of these exchanges.
A breathtaking battle of more than 35 seconds, at 4-2 in the first set, during which the two rivals exchanged 25 blows. Drop shot, volley, powerful backhands from the Italian and miraculous (and acrobatic) saves from the Spaniard, it was all there. And in the end, it was the Italian, fist raised, who emerged victorious. “A serious candidate for the title of point of the year”, estimates the ATP on its site. The reaction of the crowd, which cheered throughout the exchange as its intensity mounted, seemed to point in the same direction.
“He is unbeatable, this guy”
“It was an incredible point, reacted Alcaraz, in remarks relayed by the ATP. When I lost that point, the first thing that came to mind was that this guy is unbeatable. We played a great game, I think we were both at a very good level. Against Jannik, there are always great points like this. »
Aged 21 and 19 respectively, Sinner and Alcaraz have already met six times on the circuit, each time providing the crowd with a high-flying spectacle, such as in their epic quarter-final at the US Open in 2022 which s was settled in five sets and 5:15 (6-3, 6-7, 6-7, 7-5, 6-3) and from which Alcaraz emerged victorious. With already, during this match, a memorable point. “I feel something different in the crowd when I play against Jannik,” Alcaraz said. I think around the world there are probably a lot of people looking at this poster, because it’s really beautiful to see. »
The Spaniard could not avoid defeat this time against his favorite opponent, despite winning the first set (6-7, 6-4, 6-2). He will therefore lose his place as world number 1 in the ATP rankings, which will return on Monday to Novak Djokovic (yet absent from the American Tour because not vaccinated). Sunday in the final, Jannik Sinner will face world number 5, Daniil Medvedev, winner of his Russian compatriot Karen Khacharov (16th) in three sets (7-6, 3-6, 6-3).