Carlos Alcaraz once again proved why he is at the top of men’s tennis, defeating rival Jannik Sinner in four sets to capture his second U.S. Open title, his sixth career Grand Slam championship, and the No. 1 ATP ranking. The 22-year-old Spaniard overcame the defending champion 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in a 2-hour, 42-minute battle at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday.
The victory adds another dramatic chapter to one of tennis’s most compelling new rivalries. Alcaraz and Sinner are the first two men ever to contest three consecutive Grand Slam finals in a single season. Sinner triumphed at Wimbledon in July, while Alcaraz had beaten him at Roland-Garros in a grueling 5 ½-hour thriller. This time, Alcaraz’s aggressive forehand and all-court brilliance proved decisive. He finished with 42 winners, double Sinner’s total, and broke his opponent’s serve five times.
“I think I played perfect,” Alcaraz said, crediting the intensive training he undertook with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero after Wimbledon specifically to prepare for Sinner. “If I want to beat Jannik, I have to play perfect.”
Sinner, who had been on a 27-match winning streak on hard courts at majors, admitted his rival outclassed him. “He raised his level when he had to,” said the 24-year-old Italian, adding that Alcaraz’s variety left him too predictable.
The match began under unusual circumstances, delayed half an hour as security tightened due to President Donald Trump’s attendance. But once underway, the packed stadium loudly backed Alcaraz, giving him standing ovations for highlight-reel shots, including a stunning angled volley and a dazzling overhead smash.
With this win, Alcaraz now leads their head-to-head series 10-5, holds a 6-4 edge in Grand Slam titles, and has won two of their three U.S. Open meetings. Between them, Alcaraz and Sinner have now claimed eight straight majors, 10 of the last 13, with Novak Djokovic taking the other three.
Calling the victory “the best tournament so far that I have ever played,” Alcaraz reasserted himself as the face of the sport, while fans eagerly anticipate the next chapter in his rivalry with Sinner.