Carlos Alcaraz, the magician, and Jannik Sinner, the machine, have lit up men’s singles tennis, ensuring that fans are not left yearning for the golden era of the Big Three. Eight Grand Slams in the last two years have been shared equally between these two modern-day gladiators. Yet, on Sunday, 7 September, Alcaraz’s magic proved far too much for Sinner, who struggled to find any rhythm as he surrendered the US Open men’s singles title and the World No. 1 ranking.
Alcaraz fittingly sealed victory with an ace, having served like a dream throughout the US Open. The six-time Grand Slam champion then unveiled his trademark golf-swing celebration – a nod to the downtime he spent on New York’s golf courses during his off-days, which kept him recharged over the fortnight.
In stark contrast to the previous two finals they contested this year — the epic five-hour-and-29-minute French Open marathon and the evenly-balanced battle in London — the clash in New York did not live up to the expectations of the tennis enthusiasts who had flocked to Arthur Ashe Stadium in anticipation of another brutal, boxing-style encounter. Instead, it turned into a one-sided affair, with Alcaraz overpowering and outclassing Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in two hours and 42 minutes.
US Open final: Sinner vs Alcaraz highlights
By clinching his second US Open crown, Alcaraz joined an exclusive league of legends to have won multiple Grand Slam titles across all three surfaces. With only the Australian Open missing from his collection, the Spaniard now holds two titles apiece at each of the other three majors.
Sinner’s 27-match unbeaten run in hard-court Grand Slams came to an end as he missed an opportunity to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2008 to defend the US Open crown.
A DIP THAT WAS A BLIP
Save for a slight dip in the second set, which allowed Sinner to capitalise, Alcaraz was flawless and ruthless, firing on all cylinders. He dropped a set for the first time in the tournament, yet on either side of that lapse he was near-impenetrable on serve. On a day when Sinner’s delivery deserted him, Alcaraz underlined the progress of one of his most improved weapons this season — the serve.
The unseasonably cool New York conditions also played into Alcaraz’s hands. With the roof closed after earlier rain, he put on a dazzling display for the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd — which even included United States President Donald Trump — combining raw power with artistry and athleticism.
There were plenty of “wow” moments as Alcaraz revelled in the role of showman, delighting in his own scarcely-believable shots and keeping the crowd enthralled. On Sunday, he blended precision with brilliance to blow arguably the best player in the world out of the water.
Bereft of his serve, Sinner attempted too much in search of the lines with his groundstrokes. Alcaraz’s speed and agility forced the Italian into a slew of unforced errors — far too many on a stage of this magnitude.
– Ends