2025-09-07

Carlos Alcaraz beat Jannik Sinner in the US Open final to reclaim the title he first won in 2022 and collect the sixth Grand Slam trophy of his career.

The Spaniard won 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in New York after an opening set that underlined how aggressively he can start against the Italian rivalry leader. Sinner responded in the second set, but Alcaraz took control again with a commanding third and held off a late push in the fourth to close out the match.

The final was delayed by half an hour because of extra security measures linked to US President Donald Trump’s presence. That pre-match disruption did not unsettle Alcaraz, who served with accuracy and variety across the match and used it to keep Sinner under pressure on the return. The victory also meant Alcaraz wrested back the world number one ranking from Sinner, who had held it for 65 weeks.

The result is another milestone in a rivalry that is increasingly defining the men’s game. Alcaraz and Sinner had already met in several major finals across the season, and their New York clash added another chapter to what is becoming one of tennis’s most important head-to-heads. The BBC described it as the latest chapter in a compelling rivalry, and the match lived up to that billing even without the five-set drama of some of their earlier meetings.

Alcaraz’s serve was a decisive weapon. He was broken only twice on his way to the final and carried that form into the championship match, where he repeatedly took time away from Sinner and limited the Italian’s ability to settle. Sinner, who had been strong enough to reach the final after another deep run at a major, was short of his best for much of the contest and eventually could not match Alcaraz’s level over four sets.

The win gave Alcaraz his second US Open title and confirmed that his major tally has now reached six. He is the second youngest man after Bjorn Borg to get that far, a marker that reflects how quickly he has built one of the strongest early-career records in the modern game.

This final also closes the 2025 Grand Slam season with an even split between the two players at the four majors. Sinner won the Australian Open and Wimbledon, while Alcaraz took Roland Garros and the US Open. That balance leaves the sport with a clear two-man axis at the top of the men’s tour.

The closing moments summed up the match. Sinner saved two championship points before Alcaraz found a third chance and finished with an ace out wide, then celebrated with the familiar grin and golf-swing flourish that has become part of his on-court identity. Sinner, for his part, accepted the result after a season of repeated final meetings with his rival.

For Alcaraz, the significance is immediate and lasting: another major, another US Open, and a return to the top of the rankings at a time when the rivalry with Sinner is only getting more central to the sport.