08/06/2025

SPORTS 12 ON SUNDAY JUNE 8, 2025

High noon

Musetti forced to abandon semifinal

JANNIK SINNER said it “doesn’t get any bigger” than facing Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final, after ending Novak Djokovic’s latest tilt at a record breaking 25th Grand Slam title in the last four yesterday. The world No. 1 held off a battling Djokovic with an impressive 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) win on Court Philippe Chatrier to reach his first Roland Garros final. Sinner will face Alcaraz for a Grand Slam title for the first time today, adding another chapter to their already gripping rivalry. “The stage, it doesn’t get any bigger now. Grand Slam finals against Carlos, it’s a special moment for me and for him, too,” said the three-time Grand Slam champion, who is now on a 20-match winning streak in majors. “He won here last year, so let’s see what’s coming. But for sure, the tension you

‘Doesn’t get any bigger’ than Alcaraz final, says Sinner

a battling hold that featured two aces, one from a second serve. Djokovic called for the physio for treatment on his left leg ahead of the third set. A cacophony of noise greeted a brilliant rally that saw Djokovic bring up two set points in the 10th game. Sinner fended them both off, and then a third, before Djokovic became incensed by a line call that didn’t go his way as the set headed towards a tie break. Sinner, who like Alcaraz has never lost a Grand Slam final, completed the job in the breaker as Djokovic netted.

Open final in May when Sinner returned from a three-month doping ban. Comparisons have already been made between their rivalry and those shared by the big three of Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. “It takes time to compare us with the big three,” said Sinner. “I believe that tennis or every sport needs rivalries, no? “This could be potentially one of these, but there are amazing players coming up.” Sinner wrapped up an ultimately comfortable opening set after a break in the fifth game with a hold to love, finished off by a backhand winner. Djokovic was the better

hours and 16 minutes, but three missed set points late in the third set ultimately put paid to his hopes of a comeback. Sinner, who is yet to drop a set in the tournament, will be hoping to gain revenge on Alcaraz after losing to the Spaniard in five sets in the semifinals last year. The Italian will be playing in a maiden Slam final not on hard courts after edging 5-4 ahead in his head-to-head record with Djokovic with his fourth successive victory over the 38 year-old. Djokovic’s exit ensures that a sixth successive major title will be lifted by either Sinner or world No. 2 Alcaraz, in what appears increasingly likely

ITALIAN eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti said he was “really sad and disappointed” after a thigh injury put paid to his French Open semifi nal with reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz on Friday. Musetti had won the opening set against the second-seeded Spaniard but was obliged to call it quits when trailing 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6 0, 2-0 after suffering a thigh injury. “I felt at the beginning of the third (set) when I was serving, I start to, start losing a little bit of strength on the left leg behind, and defi nitely was going worse and worse, so I decided to stop,” Musetti told his post-match press conference. “I think was, you know, the right decision to make, even if it was not what I wanted. “(I’m) really honestly sad and dis appointed on how it ended, but still a great match so far.” The abrupt ending was an unfor tunate denouement to an intriguing battle between the rivals. Alcaraz had got the better of Musetti in their previous two meet ings on clay this season – in the final at Monte Carlo and the last four in Rome. But on Court Philippe Chatrier, only the finest of margins sepa rated the pair through the opening two sets. “I think today that this probably the best match of these three matches that we played. I think today I was playing in the right way, and he was struggling sometimes,” Musetti said. “At the end if I have to analyse those two sets, they were really, really great sets. Of course the third one and let’s say the last two games, there was of course no chance to play at his level with this problem. It was an unlucky situa tion.” The Spaniard raced through the third set, with Musetti receiving treatment on his left thigh during a change of ends at 0-5 before being forced to quit three games later. “I start to feel like the beginning of the fourth that I couldn’t go for the rallies, and I could not move like I was doing before,” explained Musetti. “There was too much risk, you know, to take to go forward and to, you know, to be able to of course show something even for the crowd.” The untimely injury brought a disappointing close to an otherwise excellent clay-court season for the world No. 7 as he reached at least the semifinals of the three Masters level tournaments, as well as Roland Garros. Looking forward to the upcom ing grass-court season, the 2024 Wimbledon semifinalist said: “It’s too early to say… We are going to evaluate tomorrow what the exam will say, and we’re gonna of course update you guys and take a deci sion for what’s next.” – AFP

“Of course, it’s stressful,” Sinner said when asked what it is like to face Djokovic. “It’s playing against Novak, playing against the best players in the world, you don’t get moments where you can relax. He makes you feel that.” – AFP

feel before the match and during the match is a little bit different in a way, because we are both very young, we are both different, but talented.” Djokovic battled hard in a dramatic semifinal that lasted three

player at the start of the second set, but could not find a way through against an opponent who had not dropped serve since his opening-round win over France’s Arthur Rinderknech. Sinner served out the second set at the second time of asking courtesy of

to be a permanent changing of the guard. It will be the first Grand Slam final to be played between two men born in the 2000s. Alcaraz has won his last four matches against Sinner, including in the Italian

Jannik Sinner (left) shakes hands with Novak Djokovic after winning his semifinal match. – REUTERSPIC

Djokovic hints at possible Roland Garros farewell NOVAK DJOKOVIC suggested he may well have bidden adieu to Roland Garros after the 38-year-old was defeated in the semifi nals by Jannik Sinner on Friday. “I don’t think I have ever received this much support in this stadium in my career in big matches against the best players in the world. So very, very honoured to experi ence that,” he added.

want to play Wimbledon, I want to play US Open. Those two, for sure. For the rest, I’m not so sure.” Despite the latest setback, Djokovic insisted he still has the record in his sights and hoped it will be seventh time lucky when Wimbledon starts on June 30. “Obviously Wimbledon is next, which is my childhood favourite tournament. I’m going to do everything possible to get myself ready,” he said. “I guess my best chances (of winning) maybe are Wimbledon, you know, to win another Slam, or faster hard court, maybe Australia or something like that.” When asked how long he had been con sidering his future at Roland Garros, Djokovic cryptically replied: “Not long. You know, I don’t know. “I don’t know really what tomorrow brings in a way at this point in my career. You know, I going to keep on keeping on.” – AFP

Following his loss to world No. 1 Sinner, Djokovic stopped briefly on his way off Court Philippe Chatrier and took a moment to “show his gratitude” to the Paris crowd. “This could have been the last match ever I played here, so I don’t know. That’s why I was a bit more emotional even in the end,” said three-time champion Djokovic. “But if this was the farewell match of Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd. “Not the happiest because of the loss, but, you know, I tried to show my gratitude to the crowd, because they were terrific.” Djokovic has on occasion had a fraught relationship with the Parisian public, but hailed the backing he received against Sinner.

However, the Serb allayed fears he would be calling time on his career just yet. He stills stands on the brink of history after his latest tilt at a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title was foiled. One more major victory would take him beyond Margaret Court and into outright first on the list of players with the most Grand Slams. “At the moment I will try to stick with the plan what I had, which is play the Grand Slams,” he said. “Those tournaments are the priorities of my schedule, my calendar. Wimbledon and US Open, yes, they are in plans. That’s all I can say right now. “I’m going to, unless something, I don’t know, happens, whatever. But I feel like I