Alcaraz, Sinner eye Wimbledon third round

LONDON – World number one Jannik Sinner takes on Italian compatriot and former runner-up Matteo Berrettini for a place in the Wimbledon third round on Wednesday.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and four-time major winner Naomi Osaka also target places in the last 32.

Alcaraz faces a man who once defeated him in a Grand Slam qualifier while Osaka’s rival is the daughter of an American billionaire.

AFP Sport looks at three matches to watch on day three of the tournament:

Sinner faces all-Italian duel with Berrettini

Italian men’s tennis has rarely been stronger, with the country boasting five players in the top 50 while the nation swept to Davis Cup glory last season.

Ten Italian men started the singles tournament this year at Wimbledon.

Jannik Sinner was the first Italian man to capture a Grand Slam title with his victory at the Australian Open in January and was also the first from his country to become world number one.

Matteo Berrettini can boast his own breakthrough Italian moment when he was the first to make a Wimbledon men’s final in 2021, where his run was ended by Novak Djokovic.

Sinner, who made the semi-finals at the All England Club last year, defeated Berrettini in their only previous meeting at the Masters-level event in Canada last year.

“I think his secret is that he is really hungry for improvement. That’s his secret. And the humbleness that he has about it. He’s just special,” said Berrettini of his compatriot.

Alcaraz eyes revenge for rare defeat