They constantly renew and refine themselves, continuously pushing each other to new heights. The 2025 US Open final might showcase a new peak in the rivalry between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
In a sport demanding constant self-renewal after every point, game, set, match, and tournament, two players have truly distinguished themselves from the rest.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will face off in the US Open final on Sunday, marking the third consecutive time they meet in a Grand Slam final within the same year — a record in the Open Era.
Their determination to push each other to new heights has brought Alcaraz and Sinner to a historic duel, just three years after their US Open quarterfinal match that ignited their rivalry and changed everything.
Is the 2025 US Open final the new peak in the rivalry between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz?
They even accidentally met while dining at the same restaurant in New York during the early days of the tournament. It was a coincidence, but in reality, they had already been preparing for their final encounter. "They are incredibly talented," Novak Djokovic admitted after losing to Alcaraz in the semifinals.
The third chapter of the Alcaraz–Sinner summer rivalry seemed inevitable. Both have tasted their first Grand Slam final loss this year but immediately returned in the next final. Sinner lost to Alcaraz at the Roland Garros final despite having three match points but later avenged that loss at the Wimbledon final. Alcaraz also transformed his defeat to Sinner at Wimbledon into motivation to perform at his peak at the US Open, starting from the opening match.
Except for a tough win over Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semifinals, Sinner’s route to the final at Flushing Meadows was smooth. The Italian player has won 27 consecutive matches on hard courts at Grand Slams, becoming the fourth player in history to reach all four Grand Slam finals in a single season, after Rod Laver, Djokovic, and Roger Federer. Despite feeling "a bit tight" in his abdomen, Sinner advanced confidently.