Carlos Alcaraz, the world No. 2 and two-time defending Wimbledon champion, firmly rejected the notion that he holds a mental advantage over Jannik Sinner as they prepare for their highly anticipated Wimbledon 2025 final on July 13, a rematch of their epic French Open final five weeks prior. In a press conference following his 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(8-6) semi-final win over Taylor Fritz on July 11, Alcaraz addressed suggestions that his dramatic comeback from three championship points down in their 5-hour, 29-minute French Open clash (4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(10-2)) might give him a psychological edge. “Not at all, to be honest,” Alcaraz said, per *Express.co.uk*. “Jannik is a huge champion. He learns from every loss, every match. I’m pretty sure he’s taken a lot from the French Open final. He’ll be better physically, mentally, and prepared to give 100% on Sunday,” per *Express.co.uk*.
Alcaraz, who leads their head-to-head 8-4, including five consecutive wins, acknowledged the intensity of their rivalry, calling their French Open encounter “the best match I’ve ever played,” but expressed hope for a shorter contest, saying, “I hope it’s not five and a half hours again, but if it is, I will,” per *BBC Sport*. Sinner, who defeated Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in the other semi-final, dismissed any lingering effects from the Paris loss, stating, “If it was still in my head, I wouldn’t be here in the final,” per *The Athletic*. Despite Sinner’s 2022 Wimbledon fourth-round win over Alcaraz (6-1, 6-4, 6-7(8), 6-3), Alcaraz noted both have evolved, rendering that match less relevant, per *The Washington Post*. Fans on X, like @DExpress_Sport, hyped the “blockbuster grudge match,” while @cestlaviemacher noted Alcaraz’s dismissal of Sinner’s reported elbow concerns, per.
