Jannik Sinner sees off Carlos Alcaraz in battle of young aces to reach last eight

They are friends who get by in different languages, yet there was no misinterpreting the tennis alchemy between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner on Centre Court at Wimbledon on Sunday. It was full of bubbling promise and good summer vibes – even if did take them two hours to pop the cork.

Not until Alcaraz emerged from an extended flat spot to force and win a tie-break that took them into a fourth set did the most anticipated match of the day begin to live up to expectations.

“They can dominate in the future,” Feliciano López had observed beforehand of the two youngest players left in the men’s draw, “so it is one of the greatest matches we could have.” It certainly was a good match, with flashes of genius and a few twists in the plot, but it did not match Lopez’s billing.

Further shredding the script, it would not be the favourite Alcaraz – the new Rafa Nadal – who prevailed, but the 20-year-old Sinner: 6-1, 6-4, 6-7 (8), 6-3 in three hours and 35 minutes. The Italian, who saw off Andy Murray’s conqueror, John Isner, at the height of his serving powers in the previous round, will be buoyant going into his first slam quarter-final, if a little tired. He could have wrapped this up in three sets had he kept focus.

Alcaraz – at 19 the youngest man to reach the fourth round since Bernard Tomic (remember him?) 11 years ago – gave Sinner a two-set start and, but for some glorious forehands, giant serves and a fightback in the fourth, fell short of his best.

On the seventh day of the championships, in the Centre Court’s 100th year, their youthful exuberance filled the famous old court – certainly more joyously than Cliff Richard’s faltering rendition of Summer Holiday in the nostalgia love-fest that preceded the tennis. Old