Five and a half hours of undulating tension and elite-level competition, given deeper meaning by how its length raised the significance of the match’s decisive moments.

Anyone worried about how men’s tennis would survive in the post-Big Three era can rest easy.

It was the first time that Sinner had lost a Grand Slam final, but the fifth time in succession he has now lost to Alcaraz, who clinched the 20th title of his career at the age of 22.