Alcaraz performs exceptionally well: he beats Sinner in four sets, wins the US Open and takes the world number one spot.
The Spaniard won 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in a match he dominated for long stretches. Jannik was dethroned after 65 weeks.
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The "beautiful" one goes to Carlos Alcaraz. After the victory in Paris and the defeat in London, the Spaniard beat Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to win the US Open . The Spaniard thus wins the third act of this increasingly exciting challenge between the two great champions, who are dominating tennis far and wide and who since the beginning of 2024 have split the Grand Slam tournaments equally, four each, establishing a duopoly that currently seems unassailable.
Alcaraz wins his sixth Slam title , moving ahead of Sinner who is stuck on 4, and interrupts Jannik's sensational streak in the Majors on hard courts (27 victories and three consecutive titles), which began at the 2024 Australian Open . With this triumph, the Spaniard also manages to snatch the number 1 ranking from the Italian, with Sinner forced to abdicate after 65 weeks .
Aside from Jannik's explosive performance, which took over the second set, the match was essentially dominated by Alcaraz . The Spaniard showed off his vast improvement on serve, an unreal forehand, and incredible defense, thanks to his extraordinary physical prowess , which ended up wearing down his opponent. He was also excellent at maintaining the pace on the left side, then switching back down the line with depth and turning the rallies around to unleash his lethal forehand. Jannik, for his part, was tense, didn't serve well (only 48% of first serves) and had major problems on his second serve, winning less than half the points. These statistics aren't typical of him, as were the numerous unforced errors that cost him decisive breaks, particularly the one in the fourth set. These errors were also due to the skill of his opponent, who recovered everything and had a monstrous ability to turn rallies around with his forehand, forcing Jannik to force the game. The early shots, however, were decisive; Alcaraz was superior both on serve and on return .
The match
It's raining at Flushing Meadows, and the game is under the roof. The match is scheduled for 8 PM Italian time, but the two opponents score their first point 50 minutes later. It's Donald Trump's fault; the stringent security checks at the entrance due to his presence at Arthur Ashe are slowing down spectators.
First set
Alcaraz wins the toss and chooses to receive. The match begins with an immediate break from the Spaniard, who immediately shows off his devastating forehand and wins an eight-minute game. It's a difficult start for Jannik: very tense, too many errors, some not exactly his style, while the Spaniard is very focused, giving up little to nothing, serving well, working magic at the net, and often leaving the Italian on the spot with his forehand or literally bending his racket. Thus, in the seventh game, Alcaraz secures the second break, thanks in part to two serious errors from Sinner, and closes out the first set in less than 40 minutes, 6-2.
Second set
Sinner immediately struggles in the first game, saving break points with his serve and taking the lead for the first time in the match, at least in terms of games. But it's in the fourth game that Sinner seems to really get into the match, breaking the Spaniard's serve at love and charging forward, drawing a standing ovation from Arthur Ashe after a splendid point that takes him to 0-30: a blistering crosscourt forehand followed by a drop shot and a closeout at the net after an incredible recovery from Alcaraz. His shots are now freer, his arm looser, his return is starting to work, and Jannik's baseline pressure is starting to make itself felt. The Spaniard is also suffering, as rallies are no longer tilting in his favor. Thus, the Italian holds his service games without too much difficulty and closes out the second set 6-3, the first set lost by Alcaraz of the tournament. After an hour and twenty minutes, the match is tied 1-1, and the match seems wide open.
Third set
Alcaraz's reaction was intense: the third set began with the Spaniard breaking immediately in the second game and then excelling in the next game, recovering from a 0-30 deficit and taking a 3-0 lead at the net, after masterfully recovering and playing a drop shot from Sinner. Alcaraz was now playing on a cloud, Sinner unable to keep up and even making a few too many unforced errors, so in a flash we found ourselves 5-0 up for the Murcia champion, who closed with a score of 6-1 and moved ahead, two sets to one.
Fourth set
In the first game of the fourth set, everything happens. A nervous Sinner turns to his corner, annoyed, almost helpless. But in the meantime, he saves two break points, one with a forehand down the line and the other with a double volley (the first was sensational, as was Alcaraz's futile recovery), holds serve, and summons a second standing ovation from Arthur Ashe to recharge his batteries. Unfortunately for him, the Spaniard's break is only delayed: he reaches the fifth game, practically gifted by Jannik with a double fault and an easy open-court forehand that goes way wide. It's the game that effectively closes the match, as Alcaraz gives up little or nothing on serve and closes with an ace on the third match point, winning the title in New York for the second time in his career, at the end of a perfect tournament, perhaps the best of his life in terms of quality, concentration, and pragmatism.
Jannik's words
"You played better than me today. Enjoy this moment," Sinner paid tribute to his opponent. "I did my best, I couldn't have done better," he added on stage at the awards ceremony in New York. He then thanked his team: "We know how much dedication it takes to play on such an important stage." After also acknowledging everyone who contributes to the success of the tournament, from the judges to the ball boys, he added: "This is a special place. It's wonderful to see the stands full not just for the finals, but from the start. See you next year."
