A matter of hours after the draw for this year’s Wimbledon, practice sessions were in full swing across the All England Club. Just before 1pm, spotted by an eagle-eyed reporter in the media centre, were the top two players in the men’s game: two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and No 1 seed and the No 1-ranked player in the world Jannik Sinner. The pair were chatting, laughing even, in genuine joviality side-by-side as they walked to their respective courts south of the grounds.
It might seem somewhat odd to be conversing in such a relaxed manner, just a few days out from the third Grand Slam of the year. After all, it was only a month ago that the Spaniard fought back from the brink to defeat the Italian in the final at Roland Garros, winning one of the greatest matches of all time.
