On the court, they are rivals to be conquered
yet simultaneously, they are teachers from whom we must learn
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Jannik Sinner's Wimbledon victory this year held a significance that went far beyond merely snapping his five-match losing streak against Carlos Alcaraz—a run that included a particularly painful defeat in the 2025 Roland Garros final.**¹ For on his path to a fourth Grand Slam title, Sinner also had the chance to redeem himself against Novak Djokovic. While it may have been overlooked by some, this was another pivotal victory.
Despite having won their last four encounters, none had been on the grass of Wimbledon, where Sinner had previously fallen to Djokovic twice: in the 2022 Quarter-final and the 2023 Semi-final. In their first meeting, Sinner had even been up by two sets. The next, despite a straight-sets loss, was anything but easy—a fact Djokovic himself knew well, recognizing that this slender, fearless Italian was a player he had to watch out for.
Therefore, defeating Djokovic at Wimbledon felt like a necessary mission for Sinner, one he needed to accomplish before the Serbian legend eventually retires.
Rewinding to 2022, Sinner and Djokovic's first encounter at Wimbledon holds a memorable story (and no, it has nothing to do with Nole's famous "airplane" celebration). The anecdote was only recently shared when Darren Cahill, one of Sinner's coaches, appeared on Andy Roddick's podcast.
Cahill recounted how, after Sinner's loss to Djokovic in that year's Quarter-final, he approached the Serbian directly. "Hey, I've just started working with Jannik, and I wanted to get your feeling on what it's like to play him," Cahill began, adding deferentially, "but only tell me as much as you're willing to share."
To his surprise, what followed was a remarkably detailed analysis. Djokovic explained that while Sinner's shots had quality, they lacked variety. There were no high, heavy balls; Sinner rarely approached the net, nor did he do anything to draw Djokovic forward. His service returns were solid, but he never truly tried to attack the serve. It was, as Cahill described, as if Djokovic was breaking down the match, game by game, right there for him.
And even though Djokovic's feedback was precisely what Cahill himself already knew and was preparing to implement in Sinner's game, the effect of hearing it was powerful. When he relayed the insights to his student, Sinner was deeply impressed and simply said to his coach, "Let's get to work on improving these things."
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But... tennis is a matter of both theory and, more crucially, practice and experience. Therefore, Djokovic's words were not the sole reason Sinner was able to elevate his game to its current heights. And yet, it's undeniable that Djokovic was another vital stepping stone that helped propel Sinner to World No. 1 and the winner of (at least) four Grand Slams. This ascent was achieved not through advice, but through the very experience of competing against Djokovic time and again—each match an invaluable opportunity to learn from and test himself against a legend of the Big 4.
It’s the same pattern of growth Sinner found in his rivalry with Daniil Medvedev, another Grand Slam champion. After losing their first six matches in a row, he completely turned the tables to win eight of their next nine encounters.
And, in the very same way, Djokovic himself was forged through his own fierce battles with the other three members of the Big 4—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray—for many years. It was this crucible of competition that has allowed him to remain a fixture in the Top 10, even amidst waves of younger talent today.
"The reason Nole reached the level he's at," my older brother, a former junior national team player from over 40 years ago, once said as we were resting beside the court, "is because you can't forget how many times he had to go up against Fed and Rafa. He was forged by those two."
This is a truth that can easily be overlooked: the "opponent" across the net is not an "enemy." We battle only on the court, trading wins and losses. But what is far more important is that we learn from one another, building upon those lessons to grow together.
Without superior rivals to push them, many tennis players would likely never have grown into the athletes they are today.
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During the recent Wimbledon men's singles trophy ceremony, Jannik Sinner delivered a line that perfectly captured his profound understanding of his rivalry—that competitive fire—with Carlos Alcaraz. It came when he turned to his opponent and said, "Thank you for the player you are."
This statement was deeply revealing. Because even though Alcaraz holds a superior head-to-head record and has inflicted more defeats upon Sinner than any other player, it is Alcaraz's very excellence that pushes Sinner to learn and relentlessly improve. Alcaraz's greatness is the catalyst that drives him to never stop developing his own game, all for the purpose of being able to compete on equal terms.
And it wasn't just Alcaraz he credited. In a post-match interview with Tennis Channel, Sinner further explained that before he even gets the chance to face Alcaraz in a final, he must first navigate a path through many other formidable players. None of those matches are easy, he noted, and every single opponent presents an opportunity for him to learn.
On his part, Alcaraz has shared similar views, stating in interviews that the rivalry between him and Sinner is a fantastic thing for them both—and for the world of tennis. He believes that when they have opportunities to develop their skills, the sport itself is elevated to a higher level.
Hearing such a mature perspective from a World No. 1 of only 23 and a World No. 2 aged 22, it's a guarantee that we will have the chance to watch high-quality tennis from these two for a good long while (barring any unfortunate injuries). This doesn't even account for the new characters who may join the fray in the future—from the next wave of talent currently honing their skills, to the many veteran players who can never be underestimated.
Tennis is in good hands, indeed.
References
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