Sinner stuns Alcaraz again to take Spaniard’s Umag title

FILE – Italy’s Jannik Sinnerreacts competes against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic during their men’s singles quarterfinal tennis match on the ninth day of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 5, 2022. (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP)

Jannik Sinner defeated Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz for the second time in four weeks on Sunday to take the Spaniard’s Umag clay-court title.

World number 10 Sinner came from a first set deficit to beat the fifth-ranked Alcaraz 6-7 (5/7), 6-1, 6-1 in the final.

Sinner, who now has six career titles but a first on clay, had also defeated the 19-year-old in the fourth round at Wimbledon earlier this month.

“I am obviously very happy,” said Sinner who saved all nine break points he faced.

“I have had a tough year until now, I had some unfortunate moments, but we worked every time to play better, to be a better player, to be a better person.

“So, I’m very happy to be finally lifting a trophy this year, but I know that I still have a lot of things to improve. It’s all about the process.”

Alcaraz had been seeking his fifth title of 2022 but instead was defeated in a final for the second successive week after losing to another Italian, Lorenzo Musetti in Hamburg.

Despite those back-to-back setbacks, Alcaraz will rise to a career-high of four in the world rankings on Monday, replacing Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas.