Wimbledon reached its roaring finale, and Jannik Sinner stood tall at center stage. The Italian powerhouse finally broke the curse, defeating his longtime kryptonite Carlos Alcaraz in four ferocious sets to claim his first Wimbledon crown. Just days earlier, Sinner stared down disaster, two sets down in the quarters, before Grigor Dimitrov’s injury handed him a lifeline. Destiny answered! But even victory couldn’t prepare him for the Royal Box. With triumph secured and royalty watching, Sinner shyly confessed to panicking in front of Kate Middleton, admitting he felt nervous around Prince George and Princess Charlotte. And what did he say?

The world No. 1 etched his name into Wimbledon history on Sunday, becoming the first Italian ever to win a singles title at the All England Club. Jannik Sinner avenged his French Open heartbreak in style, toppling defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in four intense sets and delivering a performance carved in grit, glory, and raw vengeance.

High above, the Royal Box watched in regal awe. Prince William, Princess Catherine, and their children, 11-year-old George and 10-year-old Charlotte, witnessed the coronation of a new grass-court king. After the final, Sinner made his way to the royals, signing tennis balls for the young royals and sharing a surreal moment he would never forget.

“In the beginning, I didn’t know what to say,” Sinner admitted in the post-match press conference. “It’s difficult to understand, you know, how you can talk. I always try to talk very natural. I asked the kids if they play tennis and asked them what kind of rackets they play with, these kind of things. It was amazing. I believe for us tennis players, it’s so nice to have them watching us because it makes it even more special. You see how much they care about tennis and the sport itself. It’s very prestigious.”

Kate, the Princess of Wales, returned to Wimbledon on Sunday in a royal show of support, accompanied by her husband, Prince William, and their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. The royal family took their seats on Centre Court for the highly anticipated men’s final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. 

As patron of the All England Club, Kate had the honor of presenting the winner’s trophy to Sinner after his hard-fought 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory over the defending champion. Her appearance marked a powerful step forward, as she continues to gradually resume her public duties following cancer treatment.

It was Kate’s second consecutive day at Wimbledon. On Saturday, she was in the Royal Box for the women’s final, seated beside tennis legend Billie Jean King. The two shared a warm conversation as Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova prepared to battle for the crown. 

After Swiatek’s blistering 6-0, 6-0 win, Kate presented the trophy to the Polish champion and offered heartfelt words to a tearful Anisimova, gently encouraging the young American to “keep your head high.” It was a touching moment, as the princess balanced grace, empathy, and duty in a single breath.

Sunday’s men’s final drew not only the royals but a glittering lineup of stars. Spain’s King Felipe VI made an appearance, as did several former Wimbledon champions and Hollywood elite. Before the match, the royals congratulated British doubles heroes Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool, who made history a day earlier by becoming the first all-British men’s team in 89 years to win the doubles title.

Following the trophy ceremony, Jannik Sinner was invited to speak privately with the royal family inside the stadium. It was a special moment, not just for the new champion, but also for young royals George and Charlotte. Kate introduced her children to the 23-year-old Italian, praising his triumph as “seriously inspiring and impressive.” With the golden trophy still in hand, Sinner asked the children, “Do you also play some tennis?” to which George proudly replied, “Yeah.” It was a moment of humility and heart from the world No. 1, who just etched his name into Wimbledon’s storied legacy.

This marked Kate’s 27th visit to the tournament in her role as royal patron, a title she inherited from the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2016. Wimbledon, famous for its strawberries and cream, over 140,000 punnets served annually, has always held a unique place in royal tradition, and Kate’s enduring presence cements that bond further. Last year, while undergoing cancer treatment, she missed the women’s final but made it to Alcaraz’s thrilling win over Djokovic.

For Sinner, the victory on Centre Court was not only career-defining but deeply redemptive. After the sting of a heartbreaking loss to Alcaraz at Roland-Garros, the Italian stormed back with fierce determination. Sunday’s win wasn’t just about lifting a trophy; it was about rewriting the script. 

Jannik Sinner recalls French Open loss after Wimbledon triumph

It was the rematch the tennis world had been waiting for, two of the game’s brightest stars clashing once again, just a month after their epic French Open final. In Paris, Carlos Alcaraz edged past Jannik Sinner in a brutal five-set war. But at Wimbledon, it was Sinner’s turn to flip the script, and he did so with ruthless precision, capturing his first title on the hallowed grass of Centre Court.

After sealing the biggest win of his career, Sinner opened up about the journey from heartbreak to triumph. “I had a very tough loss in Paris. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter how you win or you lose the important tournaments. You just have to understand what you did wrong. Trying to work on that—that’s exactly what we did. We tried to accept the loss and then just kept working. And this is, for sure, why I’m holding this trophy here,” he said, standing tall with gold in his hands on centre court.

With this statement win, Sinner tightened his grip on the ATP’s No. 1 ranking, now leading Alcaraz by more than 3,400 points. It’s a commanding advantage, but one that will surely be tested. Alcaraz doesn’t back down easily, and there’s still fire left in this rivalry.

As the North American hard-court swing approaches and the US Open looms, all signs point to another electrifying chapter. If Paris was war and Wimbledon was redemption, then New York may just be the next battleground.