US Open 2025 – Men's final preview

Jannik Sinner (No.1) – Carlos Alcaraz (No.2)

💪 The context / The current form

The statistics surrounding this generational duo continue to seem surreal.

In the case of world No.1 Jannik Sinner, the Italian has advanced to all four major finals in 2025. ‘The Fox’ has also compiled a 27-match winning streak on hard courts within Grand Slam action.

That is Hall of Fame material right there.

Carlos Alcaraz, having gained revenge over Novak Djokovic for the Paris 2024 Olympic gold medal crushing blow, is the first man since a certain Roger Federer to reach the US Open final without dropping a set.

‘Sincaraz’ just keep raising the bar for their peers.

🏆 Their 2025 tournament

Alexander Bublik described the defending champion as an “Ai generated player” and plenty of Sinner’s form this fortnight has justified that tag.

Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime pegged one set each with dynamite tennis, but swiftly found out, that to prevail past Sinner, you need to play lights out tennis for multiple hours. It’s simply relentless.

• 1st round: victory against Vit Kopriva (6-1, 6-1, 6-2 ; 1hr 38mins)

• 2nd round: victory against Alexei Popyrin (6-3, 6-2, 6-2 ; 2hrs 1min)

• 3rd round: victory against Denis Shapovalov (5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 ; 3hrs 12 mins)

• Round of 16: victory against Alexander Bublik (6-1, 6-1, 6-1 ; 1hr 21mins)

• Quarter-finals: victory against Lorenzo Musetti (6-1, 6-4, 6-2 ; 2hrs)
• Semi-finals: victory against Felix Auger-Aliassime (6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 ; 3hrs 21 mins)

The straight sets victory over Djokovic – who had claimed the ‘W’ in their most recent two clashes – portrays where the 2022 champion currently stands. Physically, mentally, tennis wise, all of it has looked especially sharp from the Spaniard.

Alcaraz has served up great numbers on his own delivery and will be fresh for another four, five set blockbuster should he be required to go the distance.

• 1st round: victory against Reilly Opelka (6-4, 7-5, 6-4 ; 2hrs 5mins)

• 2nd round: victory against Mattia Bellucci (6-1, 6-0, 6-3 ; 1hr 36mins)

• 3rd round: victory against Luciano Darderi (6-2, 6-4, 6-0 ; 1hr 44mins)

• Round of 16: victory against Arthur Rinderknech (7-6(3), 6-3, 6-4 ; 2hrs 12mins)

• Quarter-finals: victory against Jiri Lehecka (6-4, 6-2, 6-4 ; 1hr 56mins)
• Semi-finals: victory against Novak Djokovic (6-4, 7-6(4), 6-2 ; 2hrs 23mins)

🆚 Face-to-face

This modern-day clash of the titans has already had 14 instalments, with Alcaraz opening up a 9-5 lead.

However, the 2025 Grand Slam final epics have taken this rivalry to a different stratosphere.

At Roland-Garros 2025, the Spaniard did the unthinkable, recovering from two sets down, saving three match points, to prevail 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6 [10-2] on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Alcaraz’s immense escape act across five hours and 29 minutes became the longest Roland-Garros final in history.

Just a few weeks later at Wimbledon, despite five consecutive defeats at the hands of the smiling assassin Alcaraz, Sinner managed to chalk up a significant victory 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the trophy showdown on Centre Court. Talk about mental fortitude.

The boundaries of the tennis world keep being redefined by these global icons.

🎤 Heard in media

Jannik Sinner: "I love these challenges. I love to put myself in these positions.

“He's someone who pushed me to limit, which is great, because then you have the best feedback you can have as a player. We have faced each other quite a lot now lately, things are getting a little bit different.

“Always when we step on court, we are aware of maybe more things, because him or me, we try to prepare the match tactically and in different ways.

“As I always said, it's great for the sport having rivalries, having hopefully great matches in front of us. And then we see.”

Carlos Alcaraz: "“Obviously I'm going to take things about the last matches that I've played against him.

“The last three matches, I'm going to take note, and I will see what I did wrong, what I did great in the matches, just to approach the final in a good way. Let's see.

“It wasn't a secret. He has spoken about the physical conditions that he has to improve, and I think the last year, the last two years, he has improved a lot physically.

“For me, I think the consistency and not having the up-and-downs in the matches. Off the court, I just improve a lot, and I realise how important it is to take care all the details just to be perfect. I think that that was my biggest improvement.”