2023 Indian Wells SF: Alcaraz wins, 7-6 (4), 6-3
On his first set point, Alcaraz torched an untouchable crosscourt backhand. From there, the match was largely in Alcaraz’s control. He broke Sinner’s serve at 0-1 in the second game and never faced a break point throughout the second set. At 40-30, on his second match point, the Spaniard unloaded another crosscourt forehand that Sinner couldn’t reach. “This is a tournament that I love playing.” READ MORE
2023 Miami SF: Sinner wins, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2
Sinner knew that if he could keep it close, Alcaraz’s brilliance could turn, for just long enough, to recklessness. The forehands could misfire, the nerves could creep in, and he might not adjust and rein his swings in. That’s what happened late in the second set, and Sinner was there to take advantage. In the end, this match cemented Alcaraz-Sinner as a real rivalry. “We both played a very high level of tennis again.” READ MORE
2023 Beijing SF: Sinner wins, 7-6 (4), 6-1
Alcaraz could never find a groove, and continued to net his ground strokes. Sinner, meanwhile, kept the heat on, never let Alcaraz work his all-court magic, and broke him three times to close out the match. The harder the two men hit, the more success Sinner had, which is something you can’t normally say about an opponent of Alcaraz’s. “We were both playing much better in the return games.” READ MORE
