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Dazzling Alcaraz downs Sinner to reclaim US Open, No 1 spot
The Spaniard, defeated in the Wimbledon final by Sinner, also doubled his win count (10-5) over the Italian in a rivalry that has gripped modern tennis
Grand Slam finals can often be a test of the jangling nerves that many players, be it a first-timer or a serial champion, can take time settling into. Here’s what Carlos Alcaraz dished out in the first five games of the US Open final against Jannik Sinner: a heady mixture of a slice and drop forehand winner, a retro serve and volley, a delectable drop shot, a breathtaking backhand half volley lifted from his ankles that slumped across the net.
This is a 22-year-old playing his biggest rival in a final at Arthur Ashe Stadium that had among its spectators US President Donald Trump. This is a losing Grand Slam finalist turning up to battle with the same opponent in the very next Slam. This is a crafty challenger, of that charming smile and new clean-shaven hairdo, displaying some of his most charming and cleanest tennis in a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory over the defending champion.
This is your 2025 US Open champion, with Alcaraz reclaiming the trophy that opened his now six-Slam account in 2022. This is also your new world No.1, with Alcaraz reclaiming the top spot he last held in 2023 to ensure Sinner gives up more than just his US Open throne.
The Spaniard, defeated in the Wimbledon final by Sinner, also doubled his win count (10-5) over the Italian in a rivalry that has gripped modern tennis. For a second season running, this duopoly dance has split the four majors among them.
Alcaraz added the US Open to his French Open crown this year, joining Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Mats Wilander as only the fourth man to win multiple major singles titles on all three surfaces. At 22, he is also the second youngest man to get to six Slams after Bjorn Borg.
Alcaraz got there in New York playing some of his most consistent tennis across a fortnight. He was Federer-esque in blazing through to the final without dropping a set, serving high class and maintaining high quality all through.
Except for a second-set blip, Alcaraz kept that going even in the final. The much-anticipated third straight Slam title clash between these two young stars was delayed by half an hour over heightened security measures owing to Trump’s presence. There was no delay on Alcaraz’s part to get up and running, though.
After Sinner won the opening two points on his first serve, he lost the next three on the second as Alcaraz earned the early break. The Spaniard was also early in flaunting his spunkiness. The dazzling display of his all-court craft left even an otherwise rock-solid Italian in a daze.
Sinner missed a routine backhand passing shot and a volley at the net. His service games remained under a barrage (he won just four of the 12 points on the second serve) and leaked a double break. Alcaraz was bustling and bossing, having lost just three points on his serve and giving away a miserly two unforced errors in a clean-as-a-whistle first act.
Sinner had also lost the opening set at Wimbledon, waiting for Alcaraz’s play to come down to a more human level. He waited here too, holding off a breakpoint with an unreturned second serve to begin the second set.
Soon enough, a familiar Alcaraz dip arrived. His first serves deserted him, and Sinner won a lengthy exchange to have a 0-30 opening in the fourth game that he shut out, passing an onrushing Alcaraz at the net.
The champion was growing into the contest. The challenger was littering a lot more errors (up from two to double digits).
Serving for the set, Sinner won a 19-shot rally, coming up with answers to the Alcaraz trickery that he didn’t seem to have earlier. That, and the Italian’s serving uptick (his second serve points won rose from 33% to 69%), summed up the difference between the two sets and levelled things up.
As sudden as Alcaraz’s dial down in level was, the spiral up again was as sharp.
Like in the first two sets, Alcaraz had an early look-in on the Sinner serve, which was back to facing some heat and to being broken after an unforced error.
Then at 0-30 on his serve, Alcaraz came up with a spinning overhead smash that would’ve made the late Shane Warne proud. He closed out that game, regaining his delicate touch at the net and orchestrating the crowd to crank up the noise.
It was as if the stadium had switched back to the first set. Alcaraz certainly had, giving away just two unforced errors again and winning 91% points on his first serve.
In the fifth game of the fourth set, Alcaraz won a point defending like only he can and eking out mistakes from his opponent like only he can. With the Sinner serving under sustained pressure again, that had him double-fault at 30-30, he was broken after smacking a forehand long.
Sinner fended off two championship points, yet when Alcaraz fetched a third after an overhead smash, he smiled. After an ace, he shone as your US Open champion.
