The 2026 Wimbledon Championships were, just as Roland Garros was last month, wholly unpredictable.
For many, it’s always intriguing when a tournament of this magnitude is so wide open, wondering which stars will step up to take advantage of such a rare opportunity.
However, when it comes down to the business end of the event, what is meant to be the sport’s biggest matches can at times fall flat.
Seeing the number one and two seeds make the men’s Wimbledon final should, on paper, have guaranteed a thriller.
Sadly, it was anything but,
Why the 2026 men’s Wimbledon final fell flat
The main positive that emerged from yesterday’s final was that Alexander Zverev took the opening set, and in doing so created some drama where many predicted there would be none.
However, after that, it went as expected.
Jannik Sinner took hold, and after he had levelled the scores at one set all, it only felt like there would be one winner.
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After all, he had already won his last nine matches against the German, having held serve against him an astounding 87 times.
Even Andy Roddick could not believe this Sinner statistic, outlining his dominance over this rival.
It was this context, plus their respective play styles, that did not make for the thriller many hope for in a Wimbledon final.
They both boast frighteningly powerful and consistent serves, and as such, the match often devolved into swift points with little actual tennis being played.
There were some stunning points when the ball got in play, but for the vast majority of the time, it was not.
If any conclusion can be drawn from Sunday’s showpiece showdown, it’s that tennis misses Carlos Alcaraz now more than ever.
Tennis misses Carlos Alcaraz now more than ever
Fortunately, we do have an update on when to expect Alcaraz to return to tennis.
Worryingly, one notable pundit has challenged the suggestion, with Greg Rusedski predicting Alcaraz will miss the US Open as well.
It would be a true disaster if that claim came to pass, with the sport already crying out for his mercurial talent now after three months away.
Having injured his wrist during the Barcelona Open in April, this superstar Spaniard has not played since. It is simply impossible to replace his talents on court.
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His use of the drop shot is magical and gets fans off their feet, with his blistering speed and intelligence of shot-making allowing him to play out points that few others can only dream of.
Even if he did serve his way to success at the recent Australian and US Opens, there is always the penchant for the spectacular and otherworldly with Alcaraz. That potential alone makes him a huge draw for fans.
Hopefully, we see him back sooner rather than later, because tennis, and these Grand Slam finals, need him ever-present once again.
