"Sinner had lost several matches to Alcaraz recently, most notably the Roland Garros final," Cahill told reporters after the Wimbledon final on 13/7, which Sinner won 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Cahill felt the victory was crucial for his student, as the psychological pressure would have intensified with another loss. "It's hard to imagine how Sinner would have felt losing a sixth consecutive match, and missing out on two major titles in a single month," Cahill said. "Sinner knew he could stay close to Alcaraz if he played proactively."
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Sinner celebrates with his coach, Cahill, in the stands at the All England Club, London, England, on 13/7, after the Wimbledon final. Photo: Reuters |
Sinner celebrates with his coach, Cahill, in the stands at the All England Club, London, England, on 13/7, after the Wimbledon final. Photo: Reuters
Sinner lost the Roland Garros final to Alcaraz last month despite leading by two sets and having three championship points. That loss undoubtedly added pressure to this rematch, especially at Wimbledon where Alcaraz had won the previous two years. However, the Italian served impeccably, facing no break points in the final three sets. He also returned aggressively, putting Alcaraz under pressure and winning each set by a narrow margin.
"The Roland Garros final was one of the highest-quality matches I've seen in 25 years of coaching," Cahill added. "Many games lasted over 10 minutes, and all five sets were filled with drama. Their rivalry is fantastic, and I believe they can both improve further. Of course, tennis has other emerging young players, and the competition is fierce."
Cahill compared the Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry to the "Big 3" era, suggesting that winning Grand Slams is easier now. "In the previous era, you had to beat Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray to win a Grand Slam," he explained. "Most likely, you'd have to defeat one in the quarterfinals, another in the semifinals, and a third in the final. That schedule was incredibly demanding and almost impossible."
Cahill hopes his student, as well as Alcaraz, will have 10 to 15 years of top-level competition ahead of them, providing many more thrilling matches. The two players have shared the last seven Grand Slam titles between them and are close to completing a career Grand Slam. Alcaraz is missing the Australian Open, while Sinner hasn't won Roland Garros.
Vy Anh
