Carlos Alcaraz tops rival Jannik Sinner to win the U.S. Open

NEW YORK – With the most refined performance of his seven major tournament finals, Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, to win his sixth Grand Slam title Sunday at the U.S. Open. His win ends Sinner’s reign as the top-ranked player in the world and gives Alcaraz the No. 1 spot for the first time since September 2023.

Sinner had held the No. 1 ranking since June of last year.

Alcaraz, a 22-year-old from Spain, is 2-1 against Sinner in major tournament finals this year; he beat him in a five-set instant classic at the French Open in June and lost to him in the Wimbledon final in July. He is 10-5 all time against his 24-year-old archrival, the other half of the duo that defines men’s tennis.

When given the microphone after his win, Alcaraz thanked Sinner first.

“I’m seeing you more than my family. It’s great to share the court, share the locker room, share everything with you,” he said.

More than cushioning his lead over Sinner, Alcaraz’s win demonstrated a new level of command over the game. He was already the most versatile player in tennis, with two titles apiece at the French Open, Wimbledon and, now, the U.S. Open, to make him just the fourth man in history to win multiple Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces – hard court, grass and clay. The others are Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Mats Wilander.

But his control over his multifaceted tools set him apart Sunday. He had an astounding 42 winners to 24 unforced errors, including 14 winners on his forehand, more than double Sinner’s. He also served the better match and managed to get the metronomic Sinner off beat by constantly mixing up the angle, height, spin and pace of his shots.

Maybe it was only a ding, like a thumbtack-sized scratch on a Ferrari, but his level dipped just enough to let Sinner grab the second set. Alcaraz hadn’t dropped a set before Sunday.

But that he dropped just one – and immediately rebounded with a dominant third set – is a testament to Alcaraz’s focus and ability to use favorable conditions to his advantage. The roof above Arthur Ashe Stadium was closed to keep out rain, and the damp, colder conditions that slowed the court gave Alcaraz an opportunity to maximize his more creative, dynamic playing style while cutting some of the bite out of Sinner’s ferociously big hitting.

Sinner had lost just one match on a hard court all year, the final of the Cincinnati Open in which he retired against Alcaraz because of illness. He carried a 27-match winning streak on hard courts at the Grand Slam level into Sunday’s final.

As if there wasn’t enough buildup for the championship, the U.S. Tennis Association delayed the start of the match by 30 minutes, to 2:30 p.m., so fans would have more time to take their seats at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Increased security because of President Donald Trump attending the match caused long lines at the entrance of tennis’s largest venue.