Alcaraz achieves his goal at Roland Garros, but is already preparing for his first big battle against Sinner.

Carlos Alcaraz is already in the grand final of Rome , a Masters 1000 he will try to win for the first time in his career . The Spaniard arrived at the Foro Italico looking to get back into rhythm after the injury he suffered at the Conde de Godó, but he found himself playing his best tennis of the season so far . His victories against Jack Draper and Lorenzo Musetti in particular confirmed that the next world number 2 is a sure bet at Roland Garros... but he has a final before then.

Rome has been a tournament of reunions. On the one hand, Alcaraz has returned to great form on the court after his muscle problem in Barcelona , ​​and on the other, and more importantly, Jannik Sinner's return . After three months off competition following his doping ban , the Italian returned home to regain his lost form. Both men competed again to see where they were in their physical condition... and they will compete in the grand final at the Foro Italico .

It will be the first meeting between the two in 2025 , but it will be much more than a simple final. Obviously, both players will try to fight for the victory that will allow them to lift the title, but the reality hides much more. It is a duel of styles, a match where recent grudges will be brought to the table, and, above all, it is the staging of the great battle that could take place at Roland Garros , especially thanks to the tournament performed by the Spaniard.

What Alcaraz was looking for in Rome was to try to regain the ATP number two ranking. The reason? He knew it was the only way to avoid the Italian in Paris until a hypothetical final , avoiding a previous clash that could be very dangerous. But, at the same time as he fought for it, the Spaniard saw how his tennis flowed, improved, and helped him continue to advance through the rounds until he reached the grand final. And now, after overcoming the curse of Rome, he has the chance to add another title .

Facing him will be a Sinner who will try to redeem himself . After a long layoff, during which he hasn't lost his world number one ranking, the Italian will have the opportunity to return to the court with a title, something only the most privileged can achieve . But at the same time, he will try to do so against Alcaraz, his nemesis, the player against whom he is destined to have a generational duel over the next decade... and whom he might have recently taken a dig at .

When the Sinner case became known, Alcaraz made a statement in a press conference that the Italian could have interpreted as a message: "I'm very careful with what I take or what I do." Recently, Sinner responded to the question of criticism: " The negative comments from other great athletes ? Everyone is free to say what they want, but for me it's important to know what happened and what I went through." It remains to be seen on the court whether the relationship is normal, as always, or if there is tension .

But in purely sporting terms, we're talking about one of the great matches we'll see repeated ad nauseam in the coming years , especially at major tournaments. It's true that they've always had a great relationship, but they're two opposing styles : while Sinner has been methodical, self-sacrificing, and cool-headed, Alcaraz is a tennis player who shines with inspiration, who summons magic when all is lost, and who plays his best tennis when his blood is hot.

Rome, which seemed almost a transitional tournament for both players ahead of Roland Garros, has become the stage for the first major battle between the two best tennis players in the world . It will be practically a test for Paris, albeit with a title at stake. This Sunday, Sinner and Alcaraz will face each other at the Foro Italico, in their first match of 2025. The two great dominators of world tennis will go toe-to-toe. A duel that will mark an era.