He just let go of his hair, he never gave up the desire to be the best

It was the third consecutive match. After one winning at Roland Garros and the other winning at Wimbledon, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner met in a Grand Slam final for the third time this year to break a tie. At the US Open, the Spaniard and the Italian were deciding the final major of the season and who would finish the year at the top of the ATP rankings .

At Flushing Meadows, Alcaraz and Sinner took another step toward establishing themselves as the new masters of world tennis. This was the first year since 2002 in which Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, or Novak Djokovic had not appeared in a Grand Slam final. In fact, this was the ninth final in the last ten majors to feature the Spaniard or the Italian. It's the hottest rivalry, the biggest rivalry of the moment, and, most likely, the biggest rivalry of the future.

Pressure is a privilege.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz face off for the 2025 US Open title. pic.twitter.com/SO1HlOOwLK

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2025

"I always take a lot from previous matches. If I'm going to face Jannik, I'll obviously take things from the last matches I played against him. The last one, the last three... I'll take some notes and see where I went wrong and what I did well to approach the final in the right way. Matches against him are very physically demanding, and he's been able to be at 100% for two, three, four hours. I think that's been his biggest improvement in recent years," explained Carlos Alcaraz, who was returning to the US Open final after winning it in 2022 against Casper Ruud.

"I love these challenges, I love putting myself in these positions. It always pushes me to the limit, which is great because it's a way to get the best possible feedback as a player. We've been playing against each other a lot lately, and things are getting different. Every time we step on the court, we're more aware of things because we prepare our matches better tactically and in different ways. It's great that the sport has rivalries," said Jannik Sinner, who was the defending US Open champion after defeating Taylor Fritz in the final a year ago.

Their paths in the North American Grand Slam were different. Carlos Alcaraz reached this Sunday's final without dropping a set , having defeated Reilly Opelka, Mattia Bellucci, Luciano Darderi, Arthur Rinderknech, Jiří Lehečka, and Novak Djokovic. Jannik Sinner, meanwhile, eliminated Vít Kopřiva, Alexei Popyrin, Denis Shapovalov, Alexander Bublik, Lorenzo Musetti, and Félix Auger-Aliassime, dropping a set to both Canadians in the third round and the semifinals.

CARLOS ALCARAZ MAGIC AT THE NET ???? pic.twitter.com/wyy94OAqZO

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2025

Carlos Alcaraz wins the opening set 6-2 off Sinner! pic.twitter.com/Oa6EP5xd71

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2025

In a final that started about 40 minutes late due to security procedures associated with Donald Trump's presence at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Carlos Alcaraz immediately demonstrated his strength by breaking Jannik Sinner's serve in the first game. The Spaniard was clearly on top, delivering an impressive entry into the final with brutal speed down the line, and the Italian helped with unforced errors. By the end of the first set , almost inevitably given what was happening in New York, Alcaraz was winning, and Sinner even ended with a blank game (6-2).

In the second set , however, almost everything changed. Sinner survived break points in the first game and broke Alcaraz's serve in the third, forcing the Spaniard into a blank game, just as he had in the opening set . The Italian clearly picked up the pace, fueling important points and impressive plays, always relying on his powerful serve. Sinner eventually won the second set (3-6), tying the US Open final and stealing the first set of the Grand Slam from Alcaraz—ensuring that he would not become the first player in the Open era to win the competition without dropping a set .

Jannik Sinner is on the charge in the second set! pic.twitter.com/xO54eHJShb

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2025

A spirited response from Carlos Alcaraz!

He takes the third set 6-1 and closes in on the title. pic.twitter.com/3fueMBdUM9

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2025

Carlos Alcaraz responded early in the third set , breaking Jannik Sinner's serve in the first game and winning four more in a row, reaching a surprisingly quick 5-0 lead, with another game of his own completely drained. The Italian completely sank after his response in the second set and was hampered by the Spaniard, who didn't seem to have to put in much effort to rack up points. Sinner just managed to avoid the "bagel," and Alcaraz comfortably won the third set to move one set closer to winning the Grand Slam (6-1).

The start of the fourth set immediately set the tone for the moment's importance, with Jannik Sinner saving several break points in a first game that lasted over ten minutes and which he ultimately won. The set proved to be the most evenly matched yet, but was all but decided when the Spaniard broke the Italian's serve in the fifth game following a double fault.

In the end, despite having wasted two match points , Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner (6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4) and won the US Open for the second time, achieving his second Grand Slam of the year, the sixth of his career, and ensuring that he will finish the season at the top of the ATP rankings . In a tournament where he made headlines for his hair choices, appearing shaved after an accident while asking his brother for help, the Spaniard made it clear that he only let go of his hair—never the desire to be the best.

Carlos Alcaraz defeats Jannik Sinner to reclaim the US Open title and the world No.1 ranking‼️ pic.twitter.com/oFTXrCeX7D

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2025

King Carlos ????

The Spaniard defeats Sinner in four sets to claim his second US Open trophy! pic.twitter.com/C2jBm7F178

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2025