Follow Mail Sport’s live blog for the latest score and game-by-game updates as defending champion Carlos Alcaraz takes on world No1 Jannik Sinner in the 2025 Wimbledon men’s singles final.
Watch Sinner’s special, special final point
Say it with me: Mamma mia!
Third set: Alcaraz* 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 Sinner
Again, Alcaraz begins his service game looking a little spooked, and serves up a slew of double faults before rememebering where he is, and who he is, and clawing his way back to deuce.
After setting alarm bells ringing, Alcaraz is first to the advantage, and staves off a second early break with an ace.
JAMES SHARPE on Sinner’s own magic set-winner
It’s Sinner now who gets the crowd on their feet…twice…as he clinches the second set! First Alcaraz sends him hurtling beyond the far corner of the court, Sinner manages to get a return back but the Spaniard tries a little drop shot with Sinner miles away. Somehow, Sinner hurtles back towards the net, gets there and swats the ball past Alcaraz. Then, on set point, he whips a ridiculous forehand cross court, to Alcaraz’s side, but so quick and angled that the reigning champion can just stand there and watch it go past.
Sinner takes the second set, 4-6, 6-4 Alcaraz
Wow – Sinner manages to canter up the court and show off a little touch of his own as he collects Alcaraz’s cocky drop shot with a whisked backhand that the Spaniard can only stare open-mouthed at as it passes him on the other side of the court.
The Italian shakes his racquet as his wide second serve outfoxes Alcaraz, 30-15. He brings up set point with a whippy forehand matching Alcaraz beat for beat – and he claims it with the sharpest of cross-court winners!
Alcaraz 6-4, 3-5 Sinner*
After testing Alcaraz, Sinner goes about his own service game with efficiency to set up his chance to break a second time, and win the second set.
Alcaraz* 6-4, 3-4 Sinner
Alcaraz stares mullishly up at his box after he’s forced into defence against Sinner, sending his forehand into the net at 40-30.
Double fault from Alcaraz draws Sinner up to deuce, and it’s time for Alcaraz to concentrate now lest he face a second break.
… A bigger test now, after a second double fault – minutes after his first of the match. Sinner has the advantage, and he spins his racquet in his hand waiting to take it.
A serve that finally goes in, Alcaraz’s second, and Sinner, untested for so long, funks his return into the net. Then, Alcaraz serves an ace. Crisis? What crisis?
Another big, accurate serve, and Alcaraz has the hold. There’s visible relief on the faces of his parents in his player box. A lucky escape.
Alcaraz 6-4, 2-4 Sinner*
The Spaniard is a man on a mission, attempting to rush Sinner in a bid for his break-back. Overhitting his return of Sinner’s fast-flying serve, however, will not help, and it’s 30-all.
135mph is the next serve speed for Sinner, which really wrong foots his opponent, and Sinner is able to claim the hold when a net cord declares its allegiance, and allows his ball to skim it and fall just out of reach for the sprinting Alcaraz.
Sometimes, you just really want a glass of champagne
Most of the time, however, you should be somewhat sensitive to your environment.
Alcaraz* 6-4, 2-3 Sinner
In the fastest service game for some time, Alcaraz puts his head down and closes out his hold in an attempt to wrench back momentum. Blink and you’ll miss it.
Player box-watch
Alongside the F1 CEO, Sinner is also playing host to fan and friend Seal, who he recently ‘cheated’ on with Andrea Bocceli, putting out a song with the opera legend during his doping ban.
Which is an objectively fascinating thing to do.
Alcaraz 6-4, 1-3 Sinner*
Time for a breather, for those on court, and those frantically typing up game-by-game updates – Alcaraz and Sinner have a mutual energy dip as neither looks the sharpest of sharp for a brief, slow-moving game.
Sinner finds the net with a volley he bundles into it haplessly, bringing up 30-all. Giving Alcaraz an inch… he’s a braver man than most.
But Alcaraz has his own shovelled backhand to play, shunting the ball well past the baseline.
Sinner thinks he has Alcaraz with a well angled cross-court forehand, but it’s wide by an inch, and it’s deuce – with Sinner claiming the early advantage when Alcaraz hits loopily out and throws up his hands with frustration.
Alcaraz isn’t too happy too when a champagne cork pops while Sinner is beginning his service motion – and falls right next to the Italian.
The umpire is forced to say: ‘Please do not pop champagne courts just as the players are about to serve’, as a ball kid shimmies over to pick it up from Sinner.
With the softest hands, Sinner wins the advantage with a backhand passing shot at the net. An equally rough body serve seals the hold.
Alcaraz* 6-4, 1-2 Sinner
Another scintillating rally, with Sinner sliding across the baseline until a drop shot forces him up the court. He makes it, just, and then Alcaraz thinks he’s got him – but Sinner can reach it… only for the ball to land just inside the doubles alley. Mesmeric stuff, 30-all.
Alcaraz eventually wins his service game with a punchy ace.
Alcaraz 6-4, 0-2 Sinner*
Sinner stands, indignant, with his hands on his hips, after missing the simplest of backhands to level him at deuce after Alcaraz takes the lead on his serve.
He can do so a moment later, and claims the advantage with a leaping smash at the net. Pushed back, Alcaraz whacks the ball up to the roof, and Sinner has his crucial early hold.
Sinner is one of one. Alcaraz is one of one. We might have a match on our hands, thinks JAMES SHARPE
Good grief, Sinner’s got some steel about him. Loses the first set in THAT manner, to THAT shot and then comes back to break Alcaraz straight away.
Second set: Break! Alcaraz* 6-4, 0-1 Sinner
Sinner has slipped again, struggling with the more slick back of the court, but that’s all that’s stopping him as he bursts out of the starting gates in the second set.
The Italian has feasted on his opponent’s serve, and he has the quickfire break!
JAMES SHARPE says: Are you not entertained?
Wow. Wow. Wow. They are on their feet on Centre Court. Sinner sends down a crunching forehand down the line that looks for all the world that it’s saved a second set point but, somehow, Alcaraz flings out a hand and sends a return just over the net and beyond the Italian. Have you ever seen a better point to win a set?
Alcaraz’s stunner as he broke back, 4-4
And this, might I add, is what we expect from him. Unbelievable.
Alcaraz claims the first set, 6-4
Grunting with effort, Alcaraz’s explosive backhand takes him in as cannon fodder when his shot flies just out to put Sinner on the board, 15-all.
An ace keeps Sinner afloat as he battles to stay in the set, but after sending Alcaraz spinning with a hotly struck serve, his volley is put away messily and the simply shot flies badly out.
Faltering now, Sinner drops as he misses catching Alcaraz’s forehand, but he squanders his first set point, unable to deal with Sinner’s body serve.
It’s deuce, the first of the match, and it’s set point again when Sinner double faults! He swipes at the air in frustration.
Another fault… and then Alcaraz’s sliding backhand is just too good. He’s turned around, but Sinner had thought his opponent had no chance of making the shot and stopped in his tracks.
Magical tennis hands Alcaraz the first set.
JAMES SHARPE on Alcaraz’s escape from 15-30 down
A huge puff of chalk and a fist pump to match as Alcaraz sent that ace crashing down to take the game. He knows how important that was. Sinner serving to save the set.
Alcaraz* 5-4 Sinner
Alcaraz serves up the first double-fault of the match to bring Sinner 30-15 up, but the defending champion stops the rot by sending him deep and watching his return fly short of the net, 30-all.
His directional play is mesmirising, sending Sinner over to the far side of the court before popping his effort into acres of grass, and then he claims the hold with an ace.
He also breaks his new serving record: 140mph now, thank you.
MATTHEW LAMBWELL on Alcaraz’s break-back
Alcaraz focussed much more on just getting the return back in court there rather than blasting it and that gave him the room to weave some magic.
Break! Alcaraz 4-4 Sinner*
A purring backhand volley is ungettable for Sinner, bringing Alcaraz level at 15-all. That touch – the envy of the tour – is on full display.
And so is some immaculate ball striking. Sinner sends Alcaraz this way and that on the baseline, but eventually he overpowers the Italian, and wins the point as Sinner’s forehand goes funky with a mammoth roar.
Spooked, Sinner hits a straightforward forehand a shade long, and Alcaraz has break point. A dominant backhand return from Alcaraz, and Sinner can’t match it – his backhand finds the net.
Sinner has taken coach Darren Cahill’s words to heart
Power, strength, and speed: Alcaraz is certainly aware of those attributes at the moment.
Alacaraz* 3-4 Sinner
A lucky fan in the crowd gets to keep hold of Alcaraz’s ace for 30-15 after the ball flies up and out of the court. With a indefatigable grunt, Alcaraz’s whipped forehand screams past Sinner to bring up game point, and this time, the drop shot comes off – Sinner can only send his backhand return into the doubles alley.
Alcaraz wards off the dreaded double break for now.
Alcaraz 2-4 Sinner*
Alcaraz’s forehand can’t quite get to grips with Sinner’s power yet, but the Italian isn’t all hard-hitting: he wins rapturous applause after drawing Alcaraz up to the net with a drop shot, and then sliding a springy volley past him as he floundered to reach open court.
An ace secures the hold. This is an excellent start from the final debutant.
JAMES SHARPE had guessed something was brewing
Here we go. A few rallies to get the juices flowing. Sinner wins one with a gorgeous drop shot before Alcaraz fires a blistering ball down the line to win another. This is more like it. Strap in.
Break! Alcaraz* 2-3 Sinner
Sinner streaks up to the net to put away a bulleted volley as the crowd applaud his winner, and the paciest rally the match has seen yet.
A smashing down the line backhand that makes you go, ‘oof’ bypasses Sinner at the net, and leaves the Italian staring at the flash of the yellow ball to put Alcaraz ahead, 30-15. Another sharp serve brings up game point, but Sinner says, not so fast. I’ll take your sliced backhand and pop it across court for a winner.
Alcaraz goes sliding, as if on the red clay of Roland-Garros, to pick up a forehand at the back of the court, but he can only fall to the ground and watch his ball find the net for deuce.
Sinner plays his way to break point when a teasing Alcaraz drop shot can’t clear the net either. Bouncing on his toes to return, Sinner looks fearless now, and driven back, Alcaraz can only send his loopy offering well out.
Our first break of the 2025 final.
Alcaraz 2-2 Sinner*
Very little between these two, as Sinner keeps things tight with another quick service hold.
Alcaraz* 2-1 Sinner
We’re still playing short, sharp games in the opening stages in SW19, as Alcaraz claims the hold, and breaks a personal record in the process.
Carlos Alcaraz held for 2-1 with the fastest serve of his career: 139mph
A house divided on Centre Court, notes JAMES SHARPE
Already the crowd trying to figure out their fan favourite. ‘Come on Carlos,’ comes one shout followed immediately by ‘Come on Jannik’ from another part of Centre Court before someone else calls for Alcaraz again. Back and forth like a baseline rally, though we haven’t seen many of those on court just yet.
Alcaraz 1-1 Sinner*
Sinner is no slouch on serve by any means, and he’s on the front foot as he strides up the court to make sure Alcaraz’s return is snuffed out.
But Alcaraz is the first to get a point on his opponent’s serve now, when Sinner’s backhand can’t quite clear the net cord, 15-all. A heaving forward that’s got a touch too much on it hands Sinner back the lead from the baseline, but Alcaraz won’t make it too easy for him. The Spaniard tracks his rival to 40-30, but in the end, another strong serve hands Sinner the opening hold.
First set: Alcaraz* 1-0 Sinner
Start as you mean to go on, they say, and Alcaraz wins the first point of the Championship with an ace. He will hope he wins the last, too.
Alcaraz joked during his run at Queen’s that he had become a ‘serve bot’ due to his improved dominance in his service game, and there’s a good case to be made for that here. Sinner can’t string a rally together as Alcaraz thunders his way to an opening hold, to love.
Extremely special guests in the Royal Box today
Include the family of the late Arthur Ashe, including his wife Jeanne and daughter Camera.
The trailblazing Ashe won his Wimbledon title in a breathtaking match against long-time rival Jimmy Connors 50 years ago. He’s rightly celebrated by the Centre Court crowd as the announcer acknowledges the VIPs.
Sinner and Alcaraz emerge onto Centre Court
They’re greeted by a huge roar from the crowd, with not a seat to be had in the packed stadium.
Alison Hughes the umpire is waiting at the net for the players to pose for their photo and complete the coin toss.
Sinner springs on his toes, then Alcaraz does the same, flipping his racquet from side to side and doing a few Nadal-like jumps. Both of them seem springy and energetic, neither of them wanting to be caught sleeping.
Alcaraz calls the coin toss… and Sinner wins – he opts to receive serve.
A few VIPs who have just taken their seats
… but first, the Prince and Princess of Wales chatted to history-makers Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool, as well as some select ball kids and representatives from Wimbledon.
Here they come…
Alcaraz and Sinner are making their way through the hallowed halls of the All England Club as they prepare to step out onto a sun-spilled Centre Court.
The two players’ personalities couldn’t be more different – as Alcaraz in the lead recognises the fans waving at them through the windows with a beaming, calm-as-you-like smile, Sinner is all business, head down, cool and composed.
Fire and ice. And just a few moments until we see them in action.
But, says JAMES SHARPE, others are avoiding the Hill altogether
Massive queue for the hill. They’ve only just opened it up again to let people through. Had stopped people going up there for ages. ‘All to watch it on tv’ said one punter in the line.
Quite the pre-show on Henman Hill
Schlocky tennis rom-com Wimbledon (underrated in this writer’s opinion) would have it that ‘love means nothing in tennis’, but one couple has refused to read too deeply into the sport’s terminology, with the groom-to-be popping the question on Henman Hill.
It’ll be a memorable day for more than just Jannik and Carlos, then.
Sinner’s first Wimbledon final
While Centre Court might have become a second home to Alcaraz, Sinner is less used to the cushiony grass of the All England Club’s show court.
But after securing the Australian Open in the first Grand Slam of the year, Sinner has had a miraculous year despite having been suspended until the Italian Open due to his doping ban.
Since his return, Sinner has had two shots at titles – in Rome, and in Paris – and twice, Alcaraz has thwarted him. Can he do it a third time, on his least favourite surface?
Breaking:Wimbledon’s time change has immediately spelled disaster for scheduling, writes MATTHEW LAMBWELL
The Wimbledon men’s final has been delayed from 4pm to 4.10pm after the women’s doubles final ran on. The All England Club’s decision to switch the time of the finals from 2pm to 4pm in order to better target TV audiences for the first time has already been caught out.
Yes, it is only 10 minutes but there is no way a singles Grand Slam final should be scheduled in such a way that a delay to the start time is possible.
The perfect pre-Wimbledon warm-up routine, by Carlos Alcaraz
Winning the French Open is an achievement that might take everything else from you in the aftermath – ask Coco Gauff. The American starlet lost her one Wimbledon warm-up match in Berlin, and then was summarily knocked out at the All England Club in the first round.
But if you’re Alcaraz, you have a post-Paris routine down pat. First up, a trip to Ibiza to blow off steam.
Then, somehow, you win Queen’s, your Wimbledon warm-up, and then you have a spare week to get used to the grass on the practice courts at Aorangi.
Then, a few weeks later… you step onto Centre Court to defend your title.
Alcaraz leads recent head-to-heads, but last time in SW19…
… it’s a different story. Yes, their last meeting came well before Alcaraz’s dominance on the surface, but Sinner will be lethally motivated after their showdown in Paris.
How does Alcaraz fuel his winning runs in SW19, you might wonder? With everything served to him at Cambio de Tercio.
He’s a ‘perfect, fantastic eater’, says Abel Lusa – why not take a look at how Lusa’s restaurants made him the unofficial epicentre of the tennis tour, below.
But never fear!
As if by Matthew Lambwell-magic, Kudermetova and Mertens have done it in three sets, over nearly two-and-a-half hours, and it’s time to get this ceremony on the road.
I imagine the carpet is being rolled out double-quick…
There’s a crisis brewing on Centre Court, warns MATTHEW LAMBWELL
We are in serious danger of a delay to the men’s final here – in the first year of Wimbledon’s switch to a 4pm start. The women’s doubles final – Su-Wei Hsieh and Jelena Ostapenko vs Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens – began at 1pm and is now 4-5 in the third set with just 35 minutes to go until Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner due to take the court.
Given the amount of time which will be taken up by the trophy presentation and speeches, this is going to be touch and go. It would be an embarrassment for Wimbledon if they are forced to delay – there is absolutely no way a Grand Slam singles final should have a delayed start.
Sinner and Alcaraz’s routes to the final
Alcaraz had his toughest outing, unbelievably, first up against Fabio Fognini, with the firebrand Italian veteran forcing him into a five-set tussle in the searing opening day hint. After a match so good that Fognini brought forward his retirement, Alcaraz then breezed past plucky Brit Oliver Tarvet, Jan-Lenard Struff, Andrey Rublev, Cam Norrie, and Taylor Fritz ahead of today’s clash.
Sinner was forced to knockout compatrior Luca Nardi, before defeating Aleksandar Vukic and Pedro Martinez with minimum fuss. Two sets down in his fourth-round tie, Sinner may in part owe his place in the final due to the tragic retirement of an injured Grigor Dimitrov. Two confident wins against Ben Shelton and Novak Djokovic helped push that thought from most people’s minds, however.
Earlier today, another emerging rivalry threw down on No1 Court
Defending champion Alfie Hewett went looking for a chance to avenge his own Roland-Garros defeat against rising star and No1 seed Tokito Oda in the wheelchair singles.
Oda got the better of Hewett a second time, but the Briton remains the very model of a champion – and will be even hungrier for revenge when they meet again.
The Royal Box will be crowded with star power, but the great and the good of screens big and small will be piling into hospitality seating and general admission seats too in a bid to watch what we hope will be another all-time classic.
Keep an eye on comings and goings, below.
The All England Club’s newest member
Also in attendance in the Royal Box, although perhaps not staying for the men’s final – newly minted Ladies’ singles champion Iga Swiatek.
Fresh from her merciless beatdown of the positively frozen Amanda Anisimova, Swiatek showed off her trophy with a quick photoshoot featuring the court where she triumphed as a background.
Swiatek also flashed another part of her prize for claiming glory in SW19 – her member’s badge, which entitles her to two Centre Court tickets for each day of the tournament in perpetuity.
Alcaraz and Sinner are the perfect study in contrasts, notes MATTHEW LAMBWELL
An early illustration of the contrast between the two finalists: Jannik Sinner warmed up at Aorangi Park away from prying eyes; Carlos Alcaraz at the epicentre of Wimbledon on Championship court 14 – absolutely packed with fans.
Pleasing symmetry in the SW19 draw
Sinner and Alcaraz are likely to get sick of the sight of one another as they scythe through their respective draws at Grand Slams for years to come, but at least the finals this year have shown that rankings hold water.
Not that Alcaraz and Sinner contested the title in the Australian Open at the start of the year, however – it was former world No2 Alexander Zverev who was downed by the Italian on Rod Laver Arena.
But don’t trust me on it. Why not have a leaf through Mail Sport’s tennis correspondent Matthew Lambwell’s thoughts on the matter?
Good afternoon!
Hello and welcome to Mail Sport’s comprehensive coverage of the one we’ve all been waiting for – it’s the Gentlemen’s singles final, the crescendo of two weeks of piping-hot Wimbledon action, live and direct from SW19.
This year’s showing is primed to be unmissable. Will defending champion Carlos Alcaraz secure his three-peat, becoming the first man since Roger Federer to keep hold of the trophy back-to-back-to-back (although Novak Djokovic may feel aggrieved he’s ruled on a Covid-19 technicality)?
Or will world No1 Jannik Sinner get revenge on the Spaniard after he waltzed away with the French Open title in their five-set epic in Paris last month?
Stay tuned here, as we bring you all the build-up and more before proceedings get underway at 4pm.
Key Updates
Third set: Alcaraz* 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 Sinner
JAMES SHARPE on Sinner’s own magic set-winner
Sinner takes the second set, 4-6, 6-4 Alcaraz
Second set: Break! Alcaraz* 6-4, 0-1 Sinner
JAMES SHARPE says: Are you not entertained?
Alcaraz’s stunner as he broke back, 4-4
Alcaraz claims the first set, 6-4
MATTHEW LAMBWELL on Alcaraz’s break-back
Break! Alcaraz 4-4 Sinner*
JAMES SHARPE had guessed something was brewing
Break! Alcaraz* 2-3 Sinner
A house divided on Centre Court, notes JAMES SHARPE
First set: Alcaraz* 1-0 Sinner
A few VIPs who have just taken their seats
Wimbledon’s time change has immediately spelled disaster for scheduling, writes MATTHEW LAMBWELL
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Wimbledon final 2025 LIVE: Latest score and game-by-game updates as Jannik Sinner makes it a set apiece in Carlos Alcaraz clash at SW19