Tennis – U.S. Open – Flushing Meadows, New York, United States – September 7, 2025 Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz celebrates with the trophy after winning the men’s singles final REUTERS/Mike Segar
Carlos Alcaraz is the US Open champion once more after producing a sensational display of tennis to defeat World No. 1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner in four sets at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Alcaraz quite literally blew Sinner off the court for the majority of the 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory to deservedly seal his sixth grand slam title – and second US Open – in two hours and 42 minutes, with Alcaraz also dethroning Sinner as World Number 1 in the wake of Sunday’s victory.
Sinner, who was bidding to become the first man to defend his US Open crown since Roger Federer in 2008, could not live with an opponent who produced a stunning array of winners in a near-perfect performance.
Sunday’s final – the third time that Alcaraz and Sinner have contested a grand slam final in 2025 – rarely saw both players reach their top level simultaneously, making for rapid and one-sided sets.
It was Alcaraz, however, who produced his highest level far more consistently – apart from a second-set lull.
The US Open final is typically a who’s who of celebrity attendees, but Sunday’s final trumped them all – literally. US President Donald Trump became the first sitting US President to attend the US Open in 25 years when he arrived at Sunday’s showpiece event and was roundly booed as he appeared on the stadium’s four jumbotrons.
Meanwhile, music legend Bruce Springsteen, who had been involved in a spat with the President several months ago, drew one of the largest cheers of the afternoon when he appeared on the big screen.
But the stars off the court did not dazzle as brightly as Alcaraz did on it, with the Spaniard avenging his Wimbledon final defeat to Sinner in some style.
Alcaraz put on a tennis masterclass in the first set, producing a catalog of scorching winners and making precious little unforced errors to take the set in just 38 minutes.
Many fans, however, missed that masterclass as hundreds of empty seats remained scattered among the upper bowls of Arthur Ashe throughout the entire set, with fans experiencing significant delays due to TSA-style security implemented for Trump’s attendance. The extra security had caused Sunday’s final to be delayed by 30 minutes.
Alcaraz broke in the very first game of the match after putting the Sinner serve under relentless pressure in a marathon game that lasted over eight minutes.
He took the break by nullifying the Sinner serve and getting almost all returns in play, while also coming out on top of some ferocious baseline rallies.
Sinner, meanwhile, produced an uncharacteristically error-strewn first set, making nine unforced errors to just six winners.
Alcaraz, on the other hand, was almost flawless, making just two unforced errors in the entire set compared to 11 winners.
He sealed a double break late in the set when Sinner sent a routine volley into the net.
Alcaraz, who had been broken just twice all tournament coming into Sunday’s final, raced through his own service games, facing almost no resistance as he produced comfortable hold after comfortable hold.
The Spaniard looked to press home the advantage and brought up a break point in the first game of the second set, which he could not convert.
That seemed to rouse Sinner, who upped the ante significantly in the second set to bring the match back on level terms.
Suddenly, it was the Italian who was producing spectacular winners and covering every inch of the Arthur Ashe surface, while Alcaraz was now producing the bulk of the unforced errors.
Sinner broke to love early in the set courtesy of a few sensational points and now looked impregnable behind his own serve, with Alcaraz producing 11 unforced errors throughout the set to allow the World Number 1 to serve out with relative comfort.
It marked the only time that Alcaraz dropped a set in the entire tournament.
But Alcaraz upped his level at the beginning of the third and cracked the Sinner serve at the first time of asking when the Italian sent a relatively straightforward shot wide from the baseline. Sinner showed his frustration by sending a second ball skyward into the Ashe crowd.
Sinner, defined by his robotic efficiency, produced three unfathomable forehand unforced errors in his very next service game to hand Alcaraz the double break.
Alcaraz, who had again produced a tennis clinic, did not offer Sinner any route back into the set and comfortably closed out for a 2-1 lead. The World Number 2 had made just two unforced errors in the entire set to blow Sinner away.
He continued the onslaught at the beginning of the fourth set and again brought up break points in the first game of the set, which Sinner saved courtesy of some big hitting.
It did not take long for Alcaraz to make the critical breakthrough, however, with Sinner handing Alcaraz the all-important break midway through the fourth set courtesy of a double-fault and a wild forehand.
Sinner did manage to save two championship points when Alcaraz was serving for the match, but the Spaniard held his nerve to convert on the third attempt, spreading his arms wide in celebration after an ace whizzed past Sinner.
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