Why is Sinner having issues with Alcaraz?

[canta_Brian]

Having issues?

I mean he lost in a 5th set tiebreak. Match points were on opponents serve. It was really close.

And why the negative spin? Having issues with Alcaraz could easily be reversed to ask why is “Alcaraz so effective against Sinner?”

 

[Dominic & Andrey]

What's the longest winning streak/conversely longest losing streak between the Big 3 members ? Djokovic and Nadal in 2011 ?

 

[messiahrobins]

Flat power? Roflmao dude.
Sinner plays with more topspin on both his FH & BH than Alcaraz and most of the tour.

No he doesn't.

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

No he doesn't.

Yes he does
Check stats

 

[sportsfan1]

Carlos has a vicious spitting hooked FH that he can get high to Sinner's FH which does trouble Sinner. He always leaks errors on the FH side to Alcaraz. Djokovic actually started the SF hitting loopy FH to FH's and was having success but for some reason abandoned the tactic.

The other issue he has is that although he has a better BH than Alcaraz, it isnt by that much which means Alcaraz can live with him BH to Bh for long enough to get Sinner out wide to the FH at some point which most players have no real chance of doing as Sinner's BH destroys them. I think at the FO and USO Alcaraz will be tough for Sinner, which is being borne out as its 3-0 h2h at both, but i think at the lower bouncing W and AO's Sinner will be too much for Carlos. Its not a dissimilar dynamic to Nadal v Djokovic back in the day

What's confounding though is Sinner beats Djokovic in straight sets, and Djokovic in turn has been beating Alcaraz including at the ao '25 in straight sets.

Sinner should have won this in straight sets, and had opportunities to win in the 4th and 5th as well. I think he's carrying some baggage from previous losses to Alcaraz that still affects him in their matches. Conversely Alcaraz has some confidence boost. Their first uso match trended the same way where Sinner could have won but it was Alcaraz.
Otherwise Sinners got the better serve, ros and bh that should make him win easily.

 

[Eren]

Guys, it seems it happened before too at the 2022 USO QF, if I'm to believe ChatGPT.

Holy moly, this s-cks for Sinner as this was on HC too.

"In the 2022 US Open quarter-final between Alcaraz and Sinner, Jannik Sinner did hold a match point.

In the fourth set, Sinner was serving at 5–4 having ADV and stood on the cusp of victory. He had a match point, but Alcaraz broke his serve, forced a decider, and eventually won the match 6‑3, 6‑7, 6‑7, 7‑5, 6‑3 ."

 

[SonnyT]

Some of us told you guys that Carlos is better and more talented than Jannik, who is very talented, but Carlos is all-world talented! The scary thing is, he got the will to match!

You guys didn't believe us!

 

[smalahove]

Look at Sinner’s RG track record, and keep in mind that he almost won. I’m looking forward to Wimbledon, as I’m thinking he’ll do great things there, as well. This will only make him more determined.

 

[Genie Of the Bank]

Simple question.

As far as I know the last 5 matches Alcaraz has won and Sinner lost. What are the dynamics that made this happen? Why is Sinner having trouble defeating Alcaraz?

Carlos has more power and he is puling the trigger early in all circumstances (especially in neutral and defensive points) . Sinner is a bit shell shocked by that, similar like Novak vs Rafa at the beginning of their careers.

 

[duaneeo]

Alcaraz leads 5-2 on hardcourt over Sinner.

I'm talking results since 2024 at the big tournaments. When Alcaraz won/defended Roland Garros and won Rome, Sinner had made it to the later rounds to face him. When Sinner won the USO and won/defended the AO, Alcaraz had not made it to the later rounds to face him....nor had he at Miami, Cincinnati, Shanghai, or the ATP Finals.

 

[Mustard]

Guys, it seems it happened before too at the 2022 USO QF, if I'm to believe ChatGPT.

Holy moly, this s-cks for Sinner as this was on HC too.

"In the 2022 US Open quarter-final between Alcaraz and Sinner, Jannik Sinner did hold a match point.

In the fourth set, Sinner was serving at 5–4 having ADV and stood on the cusp of victory. He had a match point, but Alcaraz broke his serve, forced a decider, and eventually won the match 6‑3, 6‑7, 6‑7, 7‑5, 6‑3 ."

Yes. Correct.

 

[I Am Finnish]

Because he is taller than him
@Lleytonstation

 

[I Am Finnish]

Keep it short and sweet. Alcaraz is just better than Sinner in each and every way.

Ha!

 

[Ronaldo]

Because he is taller than him
@Lleytonstation

Shorty Long ftw!

 

[NYTennisfan]

It's the variety Carlos brings and he has intangibles that very few in history have had, the knack to consistently win the biggest points deep in matches. The margins between these two are razor thin going back to the beginning but it's those intangibles Alcaraz has that Sinner doesn't quite have that makes the difference.

However, and I've said this after the previous 4 matches between the two, I expect a lot of back and forth between the two over the next decade so I don't think the 5 Alcaraz wins in a row is indicative of this continuing to be a one sided rivalry. I wouldn't be surprised if Sinner gets his revenge at Wimbledon, and I say that as an Alcaraz fan.

 

[SonnyT]

Sinner is format driven, he's comfortable with a set of rules. Alcaraz is happiest without too many rules to hold him back, and he's also one of the few, in history of tennis, more talented than Sinner.

 

[ND-13]

If anything, Sinner closed the gap yesterday with Alcaraz on the surface that favors him the least and Alcaraz the most.

I know Carlos is intelligent to recognize this that Sinner is not going away and will be working on something new for the next meetings.

Sinner seems like a very balanced person and with a stable head. While he may have temporary disappointment, he is going to be damaging on fast courts.

 

[socallefty]

I watched a replay of the match today. Sinner served only 56% of first serves and while he won 70% of his first serve points, he won less than 50% of second serve points. During the crucial 30 minutes late in the fourth set and beginning of the fifth set when he was broken twice and also lost a tiebreaker, it seemed like his first serve % was abysmal and maybe below 30%. Carlos really capitalized on this stretch to break him serving for the match, win the TB to even the match and then get the early break in the 5th.

I don’t know if Sinner choked/tightened up or if his legs got tired, but that crucial stretch with a low first serve % killed him. He seemed to get a second wind or relaxed and served better after that in the fifth set, but he lost the match at the end when Alcaraz went into a sublime top gear in the final TB.

If Sinner doesn’t serve better at Wimbledon when faced by Alcaraz or even Djokovic/Draper during the crucial stage of matches, he is not going to win the title. Even with the best baseline game, it is tough to win much higher than 50% on second serves against good players and he needs to lift up his first serve % to something around 65%. Also why serve so conservatively on second serves where you go through an entire Slam tournament with two DFs? He can take a few more chances and serve a bit harder or closer to the lines to help him win more second serve points - 2-3 DFs per match is not going to hurt him much.