Wimbledon 2022: After 4th round exit, Alcaraz wishes Sinner luck for Djokovic clash
Fifth seed teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz crashed out of Wimbledon 2022 after losing 1-6, 4-6, 7-6 (10/8), 3-6 to 10th seed Jannik Sinner.
FollowItalian Jannik Sinner had a memorable day on his Centre Court debut, defeating fifth seed Carlos Alcaraz in a match of up-and-comers 6-1 6-4 6-7(8) 6-3 to advance to the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first time.
The two youngest players left in the men's draw provided a preview of the future on a day when Wimbledon's most iconic stage celebrated its centennial with some magnificent shotmaking that earned them a standing ovation from 15,000 cheering spectators.
However, there was little to no hint over the first two sets of the gripping drama that would ultimately play out on Centre Court.
Alcaraz, a highly regarded Spaniard who leads the Tour with four victories this year, was caught up in a Sinner whirlwind after trailing 1-0 in the first set. He dropped seven straight games.
After overcoming that setback, the 19-year-old Spaniard denied Sinner two match points in the third set tiebreaker before letting three more passes by, with Alcaraz serving in the fourth set with a 5-2 deficit.
However, Sinner persevered through the onslaught of thunderous victories to finally secure his spot in the round of eight in his sixth attempt when Alcaraz rolled a forehand into the net.
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Despite the loss in the fourth round, Alcaraz expressed joy over his dream to play on Wimbledon Centre court come true and also wished the Italian 'good luck' for his next clash.
"Jannik was the better player and he deserves it! 🤝🏻 Good luck for the rest of the tournament @janniksin! I'll return home excited to work to improve and enjoy many more moments like this! 😀 Playing on Centre Court was a dream come true!" the Spanish sensation wrote on Instagram.
Meanwhile, after making the quarter-finals of this year's Wimbledon, Sinner said, "Carlos is a very tough opponent and a nice person. It's always a huge pleasure to play him."
The 10th seed will next face six-time champion Novak Djokovic, who survived some tricky moments to beat the big-hitting Dutch wildcard Tim van Rijthoven in the fourth round. The Serbian, who looked weary at times, won 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 in two hours and 37 minutes under the roof.
Sinner once faced Djokovic, losing to him in straight sets in Monte Carlo the previous year. However, the Italian is now a different player, even on grass. He said of the prospect of playing him again: "He's playing very, very good. I will try my best. That's the minimum I can do. Just enjoy every moment out there."
