Carlos Alcaraz claimed his sixth main trophy general on the U.S. Open on Sunday after defeating No. 1 Jannik Sinner. It’s his second of 2025 following his victory over Sinner on the French Open.
Alcaraz gained the primary set 6-2 in 37 minutes as soon as the match lastly started after a delay brought on by additional safety measures for President Trump, who watched the match from a collection at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York Metropolis.
KENA BETANCUR/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Sinner, the 24-year-old defending champion from Italy, then took the second set 6-3. That was the primary and solely set Alcaraz misplaced in his seven matches on the match.
The third set was dominated by Alcaraz, who took it 6-1.
Alcaraz then closed out the championship with a 6-4 win within the fourth set.
Since Might, Alcaraz has gained 36 of 37 contests. The one loss was to Sinner at Wimbledon — also Alcaraz’s first defeat in a Slam final. Alcaraz leads the tour in wins (60) and titles (six) in 2025 and has reached the finals at his previous eight tournaments.
The Sunday showdown between Sinner and Alcaraz — who will now be No. 1 — marked the primary time in tennis historical past that the identical two males performed one another in three consecutive Grand Slam finals inside a single season.
“I am seeing you greater than my household,” Alcaraz joked in the course of the trophy ceremony, eliciting a smile from Sinner. “It is nice to share the courtroom, to share the locker rooms, every part.”
This 2-hour, 42-minute win gave Alcaraz, a 22-year-old from Spain, leads over Sinner, a 24-year-old from Italy, of 10-5 of their head-to-head sequence, 6-4 in complete Grand Slam trophies, and 2-1 in U.S. Open championships.
“I give plenty of credit score to him, as a result of he dealt with the state of affairs higher than I did,” mentioned Sinner, who lamented that his personal play was too predictable. “He raised his degree when he needed to.”
Beneath a closed roof due to rain earlier within the day, Alcaraz was stronger, quicker, extra well-equipped for the event.
“You have been higher than me,” Sinner mentioned. “I attempted my greatest right this moment. I could not do extra.”
Alcaraz completed with twice as many winners, 42-21, and his coach, 2003 French Open champ Juan Carlos Ferrero, referred to as the efficiency “good.” Alcaraz’s view of that evaluation? “He is proper. I believe I performed good. … If I need to beat Jannik, I’ve to play good.”
This tough-court matchup adopted Alcaraz’s victory over Sinner throughout 5 1/2 hours after erasing a trio of match factors on the purple clay at Roland-Garros in June, and Sinner’s victory over two-time reigning champ Alcaraz on the grass on the All England Membership in July.
“The issues … I did nicely in London,” Sinner mentioned, “he did higher right this moment.”
Alcaraz took every week off after Wimbledon after which instantly started working, spending 15 days with Ferrero specializing in one factor and one factor solely: beating Sinner.
“I studied that match,” Alcaraz mentioned.
Throughout his defeat at Wimbledon, Alcaraz was caught by a digital camera telling his crew in Spanish: “From the again of the courtroom, he is a lot better than me.”
Maybe that is why Alcaraz was so aggressive Sunday together with his sledgehammer of a forehand. Every time the smallest opening introduced itself, Alcaraz barged by way of with that shot.
Sinner had dropped a complete of 1 service sport in his previous three matches, however Alcaraz broke straight away Sunday and 5 occasions in all.
These guys have mixed to gather the previous eight Slam trophies — 4 every — and 10 of 13. Novak Djokovic, the 24-time main champ eradicated by Alcaraz on Friday, took the opposite three.
Each Sinner, who had gained his previous 27 hard-court matches at majors, and Alcaraz provided glimpses Sunday of why they’re so good, though it was uncommon that each have been at a peak concurrently.
As Sinner labored his approach into issues within the second set, he would have fun factors by pumping a fist towards his visitor field, which included Olympic champion ski racer Lindsey Vonn.
Ah, nevertheless it was Alcaraz who appeared to have extra ticket-buyers on his facet.
They regaled him with standing ovations. For one significantly magical volley at a hard-to-believe angle struck simply earlier than the ball hit the courtroom — even Alcaraz himself favored that one, saying “Wow!” and breaking into a large grin. For one particular overhead smash to a nook with the tailing motion of a firefly.
And so forth.
Sinner, for sure, wasn’t as happy by these types of strokes.
He bounced his racket off the bottom and caught it after one misplaced level. He exhaled and shook his head after one other.
Sinner merely would not see that kind of stuff from anybody else.
And these numbers say as a lot about Alcaraz as they do Sinner: Over the past two seasons, Sinner is 1-7 towards Alcaraz — and 109-4 towards everybody else.
That one win for Sinner over Alcaraz got here at Wimbledon.
Lower than two months later, Alcaraz reversed the end result to cap what he referred to as “one of the best match to this point that I’ve ever performed.”
