"This is great for tennis": Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner ready to run it back at Wimbledon

Is men’s tennis entering its next ‘golden’ era? That was the question of the day on Friday, after Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner both secured spots in the Wimbledon final—marking the second Grand Slam in a row where the pair will meet in the championship match.

Alcaraz, the two-time defending champion, took down top American Taylor Fritz, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (6), while Sinner powered past 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to set up the mouthwatering final.

Read More: Jannik Sinner books first Wimbledon final vs. Carlos Alcaraz, defeats Novak Djokovic

It’s been just over a month since their epic, five-and-a-half-hour battle in Paris, which saw Alcaraz rally from two sets down to win the Roland Garros title 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2). Tennis pundits and fans alike immediately called it one of the best major finals in recent memory—with Alcaraz already naming it a personal career highlight.

“I still thinking about that moment sometimes,” Alcaraz said, speaking to reporters after his semifinal win. “Probably the best... I mean, 'probably' no. It was the best match that I have ever played so far.

“I'm not surprised he just pushed me to the limit. I expect that on Sunday just to be in the limit, to be on the line. Yeah, just going to be a great day, a great final. I'm just excited about it.”

“I mean, I just hope not to be five hours and a half on court again!” he added, jokingly. “If I have to, I will. But I think it's going to be great.”

Their 13th career meeting is more than just the latest chapter in a growing rivalry—Alcaraz now leads 8-4 in their head-to-head, having won their last five matches in a row. It also signals a changing of the guard for the sport, with the pair stepping into the spotlight left by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s retirements. With fellow ‘Big Three’ member Djokovic in the twilight of his career, concerns that men’s tennis might hit a lull have been firmly put to rest.

“This is the second consecutive Grand Slam that we are in the final and playing each other, which is great from my side,” Sinner said in his own post-match press conference.

“I believe it's good for the sport. The more rivalries we have from now on, the better it is, because people want to see young players going against each other.”

Q. Many people have described the era of Roger, Rafa, and Novak as the Golden Era of tennis. How would you describe what you and Jannik are doing now that one of the two of you has won the last six majors?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I think the things that we are doing right now (are) great for tennis. We just fight, and just engage more people to watch tennis. We're just fighting for the tennis to be bigger, as all the tennis players are doing.

For me, sharing the big tournaments with Jannik, or just playing in the finals of the tournaments and in final rounds of the tournament… I think it's great, or at least for me.

We are still really young. So I just hope… to keep doing the right things for the next, I don't know, 5, 10 years, just to be our rivalry to the same table as those players.

Sinner will be seeking revenge on Sunday, having held three match points in the Roland Garros final before Alcaraz ultimately prevailed in the fifth-set tiebreaker.

Any lingering disappointment is in the rearview mirror, Sinner assured with a smile: “I think if it would be a lot in my head, I would not be in the situation to play a final again.”

The Italian, who tipped Alcaraz as the clear favorite at Wimbledon, will be playing his first major final on grass while managing an elbow injury.

“I'm very happy to share once again the court with Carlos. It's going to be difficult, I know that. But I'm looking forward to it,” he said. “I try always to put myself in these kind of situations what I really love.

“Sundays on every tournament are very special.”