Perfect revenge: How Wimbledon loss to Sinner forged a new Alcaraz

When the final point was struck at Wimbledon in July, a silent question hung in the air: Had Jannik Sinner found the key to disarm Carlos Alcaraz? The Italian had not only beaten Alcaraz but had left him looking helpless on a court where the Spaniard had previously been dominant, even against the great Novak Djokovic. This moment of defeat became the catalyst for Alcaraz's US Open triumph. Here is the analysis by Cédric Rouquette from Tennis Majors...

The very evening of the match, Alcaraz and his team began a month-long period of meticulous work that culminated in his sixth major title. The victory was, as Alcaraz himself later described, the best match he had ever played—a performance so complete that even his demanding coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, could only call it "perfect."

The impact of a 'wake-up call'

In the words of coach and pundit Patrick Mouratoglou, the Wimbledon final was "the best thing that happened to Carlos." For the first time, Alcaraz felt "helpless" against Sinner, who was "playing faster than him." This profound shock was a "wake-up call" for the young star, forcing him to confront the idea that his rival was becoming better.

Even on vacation, Alcaraz’s mind was fixated on finding a solution. "Right after the match, I just thought that I need to improve some things if I want to beat him," Alcaraz said. He and his team meticulously reviewed the Wimbledon final and other recent matches, pinpointing the specific tactical and technical weaknesses that Sinner had exploited. For 15 days, they trained with one singular focus: Jannik Sinner.

From vulnerability to an unassailable weapon

The primary area for improvement was Alcaraz's serve. "We realised how important the serve is now, nowadays," he admitted. The hard work paid off spectacularly. Throughout the entire US Open, Alcaraz was broken only three times, and just once in the final. His first-serve points won rate soared from 74.7% on tour to an incredible 83% at the US Open, transforming his serve from a solid shot into an unassailable foundation for his game.

This newfound confidence allowed him to reintroduce the "variety" that Sinner had neutralized at Wimbledon. Alcaraz used his full repertoire of slices, drop shots, and topspin forehands to keep Sinner guessing and force him into uncharacteristic errors. Mouratoglou called it "the victory of preparation," noting that Alcaraz "knew by heart the type of tennis Jannik plays."

Beyond the technical changes, the most crucial shift was mental. Alcaraz and his team addressed his negative attitude during the Wimbledon final. He learned to embrace the difficult moments by maintaining his trademark smile, a tactic he said helped him "pull out all the nerves."

This victory was the culmination of a champion’s response to adversity—not just a comeback on the scoreboard, but a complete re-engineering of his game and mindset.