The comparisons between the reserved Italian prodigy and the fiery Serbian legend date to the pre-Covid-19 days.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are the last men standing for the Wimbledon final, revving up for another edition of their growing rivalry on the biggest stage in the sport.

How that happened is a story of one man fighting an inevitably losing battle against aging, the one truly undefeated foe, and of another surging into his prime.