Carlos Alcaraz returned to the pinnacle of hard-court tennis on Sunday, capturing his first hard-court Grand Slam title since 2022 with a commanding 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 win over defending champion Jannik Sinner in the 2025 US Open final.
In a blockbuster clash between the world’s top two players—marking their third straight major final this season—Alcaraz emerged victorious for the second time in 2025, adding the US Open trophy to his successful Roland Garros title defense. The win brings the 22-year-old Spaniard’s Grand Slam tally to six, after a two-hour and 42-minute battle under the closed roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium.
With the victory, Alcaraz ends Sinner’s 65-week run as World No. 1, reclaiming the top ranking for the first time since September 2023. Their intense rivalry has come to define the current era of men’s tennis, with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic calling them “just too good” after falling to Alcaraz in the semifinals.
“They’ve got great teams, smart strategies, and it’s all reflected in the results,” said Djokovic, a four-time US Open champion.
Alcaraz, who burst onto the Grand Slam scene by winning the 2022 US Open, didn’t drop a set on his way to the 2025 final. He extended his win streak to 12 matches after lifting the Cincinnati Open trophy—his first title there—by defeating an ill Sinner in the final.
Despite battling illness in Cincinnati and missing the mixed doubles event in New York, Sinner came into the US Open in top form. The 24-year-old Italian dropped just one set en route to the semifinals and powered past 2021 semifinalist Félix Auger-Aliassime in four sets to reach his fourth major final of the year.
Sinner has enjoyed a dominant season, winning the Australian Open and defeating Alcaraz at Wimbledon to claim his first non-hard-court Slam. But on Sunday, Alcaraz had the final word.
The final began with Alcaraz applying early pressure, breaking Sinner in a marathon opening game and cruising to a 6-2 first set after securing nearly half of the return points. Sinner responded in the second, saving an early break point before breaking Alcaraz at love and serving out the set 6-3, taking advantage of the Spaniard’s dip in consistency.
But Alcaraz found his rhythm again in the third, cleaning up his ground game and surging to a 5-0 lead before closing it out 6-1. The fourth set saw Sinner fight valiantly, saving multiple break points early and staving off two championship points late in the match.
With NBA superstar Steph Curry watching from the stands, Alcaraz delivered a clutch final service game, using a 79 mph forehand winner and a deft drop shot to set up two more championship points. Though Sinner saved both, Alcaraz converted on his third opportunity to seal the win—falling to the court in disbelief as he celebrated his second US Open title.
With this latest triumph, Alcaraz improves his head-to-head record against Sinner to 10-5 and reclaims the No. 1 ranking. He also pockets a record-breaking $5 million in prize money—the richest payout in Grand Slam history.
