Carlos Alcaraz Reaches New Level to Defeat Jannik Sinner in U.S. Open Final

The Spaniard captured his sixth major title in the latest chapter of tennis’s next great rivalry.

Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner in four sets in the 2025 U.S. Open final. / Erick W. Rasco / Sports Illustrated

It’s been nearly three weeks since the 2025 U.S. Open draw was revealed. The last match of the tournament played out on Sunday on Arthur Ashe Stadium, delivering the showdown we had predicted and eagerly anticipated. In their 15th career meeting, Carlos Alcaraz exacted Wimbledon revenge on his rival Jannik Sinner, winning the U.S. Open final 6–2, 3–6, 6–1, 6–4.

In short, this was vintage Carlos. President Donald Trump was in attendance for the match (as you’ve likely heard); there was a roof over the court, and No. 1 Sinner had beaten Alcaraz in their last complete match. And none of it mattered. If Sinner dove, Alcaraz cannonballed. If Sinner hit the ball hard, Alcaraz hit it harder. If Sinner ran, Alcaraz sprinted. If Sinner stretched, the Spaniard contorted. Alcaraz did everything capably, many things spectacularly, and he walked away with his second U.S. Open title.

The match started strangely, with President Trump in attendance, and security was in full force. Even after a 30-minute delay, the stands were less than half-filled as play began. Not that it did anything to upend or destabilize Alcaraz, who came out firing, got an early break and won the opening set 6–2. Sinner leveled, as he tends to, and took the second set, but rather than retreat, as he did at Wimbledon, Alcaraz redoubled, and only lost five games the rest of the afternoon. The margins between these two players are so close that when one of them is a little bit off, it has a serious bearing on the match. Unlike their Roland Garros classic three months ago, and unlike the Wimbledon final, they seldom played well at the same time, mainly because Alcaraz didn’t let Sinner, the defending champion, get into his game. 

This figures to be just another chapter in the rivalry. Alcaraz and Sinner have already played more times than John McEnroe and Björn Borg. Of the past eight majors, Sinner has won four titles, and now, Alcaraz has won four. They’re nearly tied in career prize winnings, although Alcaraz picked up a cool $5-million check today to inch ahead of Sinner, and above the $50 million threshold. 

Tennis wins big here. Just a few years after the retirement of Roger Federer, and a year after the retirement of Rafael Nadal, two new stars have emerged, who play early and often, play on all surfaces, reliably go deep into tournaments and bat titles back and forth, as if an extended rally. On Sunday in New York, the rally was won by Alcaraz. He brought his usual pyrotechnics, including 40 winners, but he also brought calm and will, which isn’t always in evidence. This was potentially a complicated match that he managed to simplify at every turn. Earlier this year, he said he enjoyed his rivalry with Sinner because it pushed him to his borders. His performance in the U.S Open final showed those borders are porous.