If the two old lions of Wimbledon, the great favorites Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal, cannot face each other before the eventual final, the round of 16 of the Championships, 135 edition, set the stage for the challenge between the two rising stars of world tennis, Dominik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
A rivalry destined to last over time, considering not only the young age of the two, but above all their overflowing talent.
Technical, but also mental.
As demonstrated by Sinner, capable of not conceding a single break point to an opponent (John Isner) who, here, on the grass of Church Road, had reached the semifinal four years ago.
And that in the first two outings of this tournament he had scored 90 aces.
An overwhelming confidence in the serve, that of the American, which is confirmed at the beginning of the match: Isner only takes a few minutes, and less than two batting games, to score five aces, thus improving the world record (13,729) set by Ivo Karlovic.
Definitely an uphill start for the blue who, however, does not break down, holds up the American's broadsides and at the first chance he snatches his serve.
If in the fifth game Isner manages to save himself, in the next game one of his imprecise volleys sanctions the overtaking of the Italian.
Very good in the following games to safely defend the advantage, closing the first fraction in 38 ', despite the 12 ace Isner in 5 rounds of service (more than two per game).
The inertia of the match does not change in the second set: Isner leads, Sinner does not let himself be detached, until the tie-break that the 20-year-old South Tyrolean joins, snatching a single point in the service of the n.20 of seeding.
Enough to play the third fraction in total tranquility, until the decisive break in the eighth game that opens the doors to victory in three sets (6-4 7-6 6-3) and two hours and 20 '.
"It is very difficult to evaluate my game because there was no rhythm. I prepared myself well. I love to play here in London, I'm trying to get used to this surface, on which I find myself more and more at ease", the words Sinner, immediately after becoming the youngest Italian in Open history to hoist himself among the last 16 of the London tournament.
Alcaraz awaits him for a place in the second round of the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament, who on the Center Court overtook the German Oscar Otte, 36 in the world ranking, in just three sets (6-3 6-1 6 -2 in just over an hour and a half).
The only precedent in the tour dates back to Paris Bercy last year: the 19-year-old champion born in El Palmar, in the Murcia region, less than two years younger than the Italian had won over the French interior with a double 7-5. , and already n.7 in the ranking.
All easy for the great favorite Djokovic, n.1 of the seeding, who in three sets liquidates his compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic (6-0 6-4 6-4) in just under two hours.
In the round of 16, scheduled for Sunday for the first time in Wimbledon history, he will face the Dutch Tim van Rijthoven, n.105 in the ranking, rookie in a Grand Slam tournament.