U.S. Open 2025 Review: Glorious redemption for Alcaraz and Sabalenka

“I know I played a lot of times against him. I really want revenge,” said Carlos Alcaraz before he overwhelmed Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-2 in the U.S. Open semifinals. The GOAT had beaten Alcaraz at the Paris Olympics and again at the Australian Open in January, but avenging those setbacks was small potatoes now for the Spanish superstar.

The more important mission at Flushing Meadows: get revenge for arch-rival Jannik Sinner’s victory over him in the Wimbledon final. That would reward Carlitos with his second U.S. Open and sixth Grand Slam title, regain the No. 1 ranking, and dethrone the King of Hard Courts.

Sincaraz, shorthand for the new Big Two — Alcaraz and Sinner — have combined to capture the last eight Majors (two apiece during 2024 and 2025) and rapidly pulled ahead of the so-called contenders on the ATP Tour. This marks the longest such streak since Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal compiled 11 straight Majors from 2005-2007. The legendary Big Three seem like a distant memory now, as does Djokovic’s domination in 2023 when he won three Majors.

“I’m not perfect. I’m not a machine,” Sinner mildly protested before crushing surprise semifinalist Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. “I’m human. I feel tension. I feel pressure.”

READ | ATP Rankings after U.S. Open: Alcaraz replaces Sinner as World No. 1, Djokovic returns to Top 5

Some among the tennis cognoscenti, such as  ESPN analyst Patrick McEnroe, recognised the extraordinary talents of Sincaraz when they first traded explosive shots at the 2021 Paris Masters, with Alcaraz prevailing 7-6(1), 7-5. “They literally changed the game,” said Patrick, John McEnroe’s younger brother. “They’ve separated themselves even more from the rest [in the last two years]. Even Djokovic conceded he can’t beat these guys. The only guy who can beat them is the other guy on the other side of the net when they play [each other].”

Sam Querrey, a former No. 11 and now an  ESPN analyst, said, “It seems like the days of playing defence are gone” — because of the otherworldly offences of Sincaraz. The hyper-athletic Spaniard can hit every shot in the book and then some he’s invented. He boasts the best net game in tennis history because of his impeccable volleying and half-volleying technique, plus dazzling speed, agility, reflexes, balance, and touch. Against Sinner’s ferocious groundstrokes, he won 74 per cent of net points (20 of 27). His vast array of serves with varying amounts of spin and power makes him one of the top servers today. Against Sinner, considered the best serve returner along with Djokovic, Carlitos belted 10 aces with no double faults, won 83 per cent of his first-serve points (45 of 54), and lost his serve just once. His versatile and high-octane forehand ranks among the most lethal in any era. And as John, the 1980s superstar, said, “Has anyone ever seen a faster player?”

Alcaraz’s 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 U.S. Open triumph doesn’t rank as one of the greatest matches of all time like his epic 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2) French Open final against Sinner. Nor does it match the Italian’s 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 high-calibre Wimbledon final victory, where Sinner’s relentless aggression and improved net skills — winning 30 of 40 points (75 per cent) — didn’t allow Alcaraz to play his all-court game effectively.

The 15th edition of the Sincaraz rivalry will be remembered as a showcase for the genius of Alcaraz. “Today, I was just brilliant, to be honest. If I want to beat Jannik on the biggest stage, I have to be brilliant, which I’m really happy about,” crowed the normally modest Spaniard.

President Donald Trump, a former recreational player and long-time tennis fan, attended the final along with celebrities Bruce Springsteen, Ben Stiller, and Christine Taylor, plus star athletes Steph Curry, Lindsey Vonn, and Sergio Garcia (Alcaraz’s golf buddy), and tennis legends Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, and Ivan Lendl, who presented the winner’s trophy to Alcaraz.

The 2 p.m. starting time was pushed back to 2.45 p.m. due to additional security measures for Trump, to allow the more than 23,000 spectators to reach their seats. While the fans were slow to file in, Alcaraz got off to a fast start, converting his third break point for a quick 1-0 lead.

The 22-year-old Spaniard, clad in purple shorts and shoes and a plum sleeveless shirt that flaunted his muscular physique, broke again for a 5-2 lead and held serve at love to take the opening set 6-2. As Patrick said, “Alcaraz is bringing his A game, and Sinner is bringing his B+ game.” What should — could — Sinner do to change his losing game? “He has to find some rhythm, some tempo, to get in some rallies.”

In the second set, Sinner got some help from an unexpected source: Alcaraz himself. Throughout the tournament, Carlitos found the right balance between controlled aggression and entertaining shot-making, seldom getting reckless or toying with his opponents. Whether from overconfidence or lack of concentration, he lost the plot with Sinner serving at 1-all, love-15 in the second set. Alcaraz had just struck a backhand volley winner, causing Sinner to shake his head in frustration. Alcaraz then, strangely, started playing around, as he occasionally does, hitting soft slices that Sinner pummeled. “If I were Alcaraz, I’d keep going big to keep Sinner rattled,” advised the elder McEnroe. The moral: never change a winning game. An energised Sinner held serve and broke Alcaraz’s serve at love in the next game for a 3-1 lead. After Sinner grabbed the set 6-3, John said, “Alcaraz had let him off the hook early, and Sinner got back on track.” The telling stat: Carlitos had no forehand winners in the second set.

Alcaraz learned his lesson and quickly re-established his power game and momentum in the pivotal third set. Notching two service breaks, he raced to a 5-0 lead and took the set 6-1.

Although Sinner had never beaten Alcaraz in a five-set match, the Spaniard went all-out to close out the final in four sets. The Italian, sensing defeat was near, started hitting harder and closer to the lines. That backfired when Sinner committed two unforced forehand errors and a double fault to lose his serve and give Alcaraz a 3-2 lead.

Sinner ran out of time and answers. The crowd roared during the changeover at 5-4 Alcaraz. But a fifth set was not to be. At 40-all, Alcaraz whacked an overhead winner and smiled. Then, on his third championship point, he fired an ace to prevail.

The two good friends smiled as they put their arms around each other at the net. Then, Carlitos jogged to the players’ box to embrace his ecstatic family, friends, and coaching team.

During the trophy presentation, Alcaraz looked at Sinner and quipped, “I’m seeing you more than my family.” The Big Two, who will likely dominate for the rest of the decade if not longer, exchanged compliments.

“He [Alcaraz] is someone who pushed me to the limit, which is great, because then you have the best feedback you can have as a player,” said Sinner. “We have faced each other quite a lot now lately, so things are getting a little bit different. Always when we step on court, we are aware of more things. But sometimes it’s also nice to not play against him.”

Always gracious in victory or defeat, he said, “I think physically he has improved a lot. He has spoken about the physical conditions that he had to improve, and I think in the last year or two, he has improved a lot. His matches are really demanding physically, that he’s able to play at 100 per cent during two, three, four hours. I think that’s the biggest improvement he has made.”

The gulf between Sincaraz and the rest of the field is large and seemingly growing. Djokovic, in the late twilight of his glorious career, still managed to reach the semifinals at every Major this season, defeating No. 4 Taylor Fritz, the 2024 finalist here, 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4. Auger-Aliassime, a mild-mannered, 25-year-old Canadian with a big serve and dangerous forehand, upset three veteran contenders with different playing styles — No. 3 Alexander Zverev, No. 15 Andrey Rublev, and No. 8 Alex de Minaur. “He’s patiently aggressive. He’s getting emotional. He’s unleashing his inner beast, and I like it,” praised former No. 1 Jim Courier, a  Tennis Channel analyst.

What about world No. 10 Lorenzo Musetti? After Sinner, his compatriot and friend, overpowered him 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in the quarterfinals, he acknowledged, “I never played someone who put me in this kind of rush in the rally. I didn’t have many chances in the rally, and he was always leading the rally.”

Holger Rune, the gifted but at times immature Dane who reached a career-high No. 4 two years ago, lost to 35-year-old journeyman Jan-Lennard Struff. Ben Shelton, playing his first Major as a top 10 player, was forced to retire after splitting four sets with an injured shoulder against 37-year-old Adrian Mannarino. “It was the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life,” said the American. Joao Fonseca, a highly touted 19-year-old Brazilian who regularly hammers forehands over 100 mph, was ousted in straight sets by 21st-seeded Tomas Machac. No. 5 Jack Draper, a heavy-hitting lefty, part-time model, and British heartthrob, had to default in the second round due to a left arm injury.

Mary Joe Fernandez predicts the Sincaraz rivalry “is going to keep going back and forth, and they’re going to make each other better.”

Sinner said he’ll reach his peak in four years at age 28. How much better can this superstar get?

Alcaraz doesn’t appear worried. “I feel I can do everything on court, to be honest: slices, drop shots, topspin, flat,” he confidently declared.

Sabalenka stops Anisimova for Second U.S. Open Title

“When Sabalenka is playing well, she’s the best player in the world.” – Prakash Amritraj, Tennis Channel analyst for the U.S. Open

A split second after Amanda Anisimova’s return of serve sailed out on championship point, Aryna Sabalenka  went down on her knees, covered her eyes, and shed a few tears. The Queen of Hard Courts had defended her crown.

The poignant reaction spelled relief — as much as redemption and revenge — following her heartbreaking, three-set losses to Americans in the previous three Majors. In the Australian Open final, 22-1 long shot Madison Keys played lights-out power tennis to dethrone Sabalenka. Ghosts of past self-inflicted calamities reappeared in the Roland Garros final. Once again, Sabalenka couldn’t control her shots or emotions, committing an ungodly 70 unforced errors, and succumbing to an inspired Coco Gauff. At Wimbledon, Anisimova, who had lost in the qualifying event a year ago, proved braver on the big points — Sabalenka converted just 3 of 14 break points — in a semifinal shocker.

“I want to prove to myself I learned tough lessons,” Sabalenka said before the U.S. Open final. Win or lose, she would stay No. 1, but the measure of greatness is Grand Slam titles and Olympic gold medals, not elite-level consistency and season-ending rankings. The Belarusian superstar had a score to settle against the American who boasted a 6-3 head-to-head edge in their budding rivalry. And if Sabalenka needed any more incentive, the winner would collect a cool USD 5 million, the largest payday in Grand Slam history.

Before their riveting semifinals, Sabalenka had the easier draw. She faced only one seed, No. 31 Leylah Fernandez, the undersized (5’4”) Canadian lefty who upset her in the 2021 U.S. Open semis. This time Sabalenka prevailed 6-3, 7-6(2). Sabalenka lucked out when she reached the quarterfinals thanks to a walkover from Marketa Vondrousova, the talented Czech lefty and 2023 Wimbledon champion. Vondrousova left the site in tears, citing a knee injury, but not before knocking out No. 7 Jasmine Paolini, a breakout star last year, 7-6(4), 6-1, and heavy-hitting Elena Rybakina 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.

ALSO READ | WTA Rankings after U.S. Open: Anisimove makes Top 5 debut, Pegula slips

The most heartwarming story of the fortnight came in a quarterfinal rematch of the Wimbledon final. Iga Swiatek made history with a 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Anisimova, the first double-bagel singles final there in the Open Era. Anisimova turned the tables at Flushing Meadows, though, making auspicious history herself: she became the first such victim to reach the final of the next Grand Slam event.

But Anisimova, like Sabalenka, learned from her bitter defeat. On her Wimbledon debacle, she said, “It gave me a better perspective on how I should be handling my nerves.” Embarrassingly slow in the Wimbledon final, Anisimova imposed her powerful groundstrokes on Swiatek, attacked her second serve, and kept the speedy Polish superstar on the run throughout the impressive 6-4, 6-3 quarterfinal upset. “Today proved everything for me,” said the resilient Anisimova. “It proved I can do it.”

USA’s Amanda Anisimova got redemption for her 6-0, 6-0 loss to Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final as she defeated the Pole in straight sets in the U.S. Open quarterfinals.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters

Anisimova would have to prove her prowess and poise again in the semifinals against the resurgent Naomi Osaka. The Japanese veteran had finally regained the form that brought her two Australian Open and two U.S. Open titles from 2018 to 2021. After giving birth to a girl in 2023, she struggled and occasionally seemed to sour on the sport, only to regain her passion this summer.

The most intriguing fourth-round match pitted Gauff — seeded No. 3 but mired in a deep slump since winning her second Major at the French Open — against Osaka. Double faults were Gauff’s exasperating  bete noire, as she was then averaging 11 per match. Gauff made the rare and controversial decision to revamp her flawed serve technique in the short span of a week, and even more questionably, just before the U.S. Open. Biomechanics guru Gavin MacMillan, whom Sabalenka credited with correcting her service woes, instructed Gauff to keep her head and tossing arm up longer, use a more closed shoulder rotation, and toss the ball farther over her left shoulder. Gauff notched good wins over Ajla Tomljanovic (who defeated Serena Williams in her 2022 farewell here), Olympic silver medallist Donna Vekic, and 28th-seed Magdalena Frech. But could her new serve, and the hastily instilled muscle memory required, hold up against the revitalised Osaka?

Japan’s Naomi Osaka celebrates her victory over USA’s Coco Gauff in the fourth round.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters

Ironically, it was Gauff’s technically flawed Western forehand and not her serve that broke down against Osaka. Of Gauff’s 33 unforced errors, 20 came from the suspect forehand and only five from double faults. Sensing her opponent’s anxiety, Osaka targeted the vulnerable forehand and surged to a 6-3, 6-2 victory.

Following the stunning upset, Osaka said, “I learned I loved tennis way more than I thought I did, and I learned that, you know, I actually really love challenges. You know, it’s like a video game. You pick it up, and even if you lose a level, you kind of just restart and keep going until you eventually win. I think it’s a little tough at some times, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Osaka’s passion for the game was also re-ignited by recent hire Tomasz Wiktorowski, whom she called “the encyclopaedia of tennis”. The stolid Wiktorowski coached Swiatek to five of her six Majors. “He’s done a lot in my game in a very short amount of time that have been really simple fixes, but they’ve just also been kind of mind-blowing at the same time,” Osaka said. “He draws a little court sometimes, and he’ll put markers on where I should hit or where we think is, like, the best shot selection. [He] has talked to me a lot about the placement of my shots and not necessarily going for winners most of the time.”

The 27-year-old Japanese, who resides in Los Angeles, had never lost a Major quarterfinal, and that success continued when she matched spectacular shots with Karolina Muchova. 

A supremely gifted athlete, Muchova had reached the semis at the past two U.S. Opens. Abdominal injuries in 2021 and 2022 along with wrist injuries in 2023 and 2024 derailed her career. The 11th-seeded Czech veteran pulled out four straight three-set encounters, including wins over 21st-seed Linda Noskova, 27th-seeded Marta Kostyuk, and 45-year-old Venus Williams. Venus flashed her former greatness at times during the highly anticipated 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 match. Williams, a true living legend competing in her 25th U.S. Open, said, “It does not get old. It just gets more exciting.” The ageless wonder paired with Leylah to reach the doubles quarterfinals, taking down the 6th and 12th-seeded teams.

Venus Williams (left) and Leylah Fernandez (right) reached the women’s doubles quarterfinals before losing to top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend.
| Photo Credit:
Reuters

Sporting a purple, sparkling, double-hemmed dress against Muchova, Osaka said, “I’m not thinking about winning at all. I’m just trying to have fun.” The formula worked as she tempered her ferocious power with just enough consistency to prevail 6-4, 7-6(3). “My dream is coming true,” Osaka exulted afterward.

But that dream ended in her semifinal slugfest with Anisimova. While  IBM Match Insights gave the American a 71 per cent chance of winning, Chris Evert, who captured the first of her six U.S. Opens 50 years ago, said, “This is a 50-50 match.” No. 23 Osaka held a slight serving and forehand edge and moved better, while No. 8 Anisimova had a 2-0 head-to-head edge, a better record this year, and a decidedly better backhand — particularly the Tour’s best down-the-line backhand. Technically perfect and aesthetically graceful, this shot averaged 77 mph — faster than Sinner’s 76 and Alcaraz’s 73! And one more thing: this Jersey girl would have nearly all of the boisterous Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd rooting for her. While Anisimova and music legend Springsteen share the same hometown of Freehold, according to her bio she gets pumped up listening to Lil Wayne, not the Boss.

Like two heavyweight boxers punching and counter-punching violently, Osaka and Anisimova pounded away in the opening set, each breaking serve twice. Points were shorter than in most men’s matches and often ended with winners or forced errors. Anisimova smacked forehand return winners on break points to level at 2-all and again at 5-all. But Osaka built an insurmountable 6-1 lead and seized the tie-break 7-4. Could the American, who rarely tempered her booming shots, cut down on the 23 unforced errors she made in the first set? Could she reverse her streak of eight straight losses at Majors when she dropped the first set? The odds seemed to favour the 5’11” Japanese, who had a 26-1 record here after winning the first set. At 4-all in the second set,  ESPN analyst Evert said, “Who is going to be more fearless and take control?”

Both competitors blasted shots fearlessly, yet they lacked self-confidence in another telling respect. During the taut second set, Wiktorowski used in-match coaching to advise Osaka to serve wide and go more to her opponent’s backhand. On the other end, coach Rick Vleeshouwers reminded Anisimova to calm down. It was all legal, but it offended many experts and fans who believe competitors should be self-reliant, as they had to be until the rule was changed in 2022, causing Evert — renowned for her cool demeanour and smart shot selection — to pose the question: “What happened to problem-solving yourself? They turn to their coaches after every point.”

In the deciding set, Anisimova got the only break she needed to pull ahead 3-1. Winners were coming from everywhere, more so from the American. She blasted winners with a swinging volley, an ace, and a forehand to hold for 4-1. Both players fought desperately when Anisimova served for the title at 5-3. Osaka staved off three championship points and Anisimova two break points.

Fittingly, the unrelenting Anisimova closed out the 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 6-3 battle with a backhand winner, her 50th overall, and potent forehands that forced Osaka to err, ending the enthralling duel at 12:55 a.m. On reaching her first U.S. Open final, Anisimova said, “It means the world. It’s just absolutely a dream come true.”

Sabalenka felt the same way. She enlivened the usually perfunctory and short pre-match interview when she told  ESPN’s Mary Joe Fernandez, “It’s a dream. I’m living a dream life.”

Although the Belarusian Basher had not suffered a straight-sets loss in 104 matches — a little-known stat second only to Martina Navratilova’s record of 143 and a testament to her elite-level consistency — the streak seemed in jeopardy in her semifinal against the redoubtable Jessica Pegula. Although the world No. 4 hadn’t lost a set, she hadn’t played a seeded opponent either.

The defending finalist — she lost 7-5, 7-5 to Sabalenka a year ago — grabbed 16 of the last 20 points to take the opening set against Sabalenka in the semis. But the momentum abruptly switched as Sabalenka’s power and versatility more than offset Jessica’s solid, precise shots and wonderful anticipation. The only drama came at 3-2 in the deciding set when Sabalenka fought off two break points and in the final game, lasting 10 points, when she served for the match at 5-4. After Sabalenka belted a forehand winner to wrap up the 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory, she shrieked in ecstasy.

The oddsmakers made Sabalenka a -200 favourite with Anisimova at +170, but Anisimova, the youngest woman at 24 to reach the Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals in the same year since Serena and Venus Williams in 2002, had more than a puncher’s chance.

Had Anisimova, who just two years ago was taking online classes during her mental health break from the tour, expended so much emotional energy that she had little left for the title round? When she lost her serve twice to trail 5-3, Mary Joe Fernandez said, “I think she’s feeling the occasion more than Sabalenka. I saw her in the gym working out [before the match].”

The American received a standing ovation from the partisan crowd when she broke serve to make it 5-all just after Sabalenka was two points from victory. Sabalenka dumped a routine overhead into the net at 30-all. Some wondered if her nerves would hold up, but the new, calmer Sabalenka brushed it off with a wry smile.

Not surprisingly, the Belarusian took the tie-break 7-3. After all, she had won an astounding 19 tie-breaks in a row, an Open Era record.

A few minutes later, when  ESPN analyst and 2017 champion Sloane Stephens asked Sabalenka, one of the most emotional champions in history, about them, she replied, “I want to laugh, cry, and scream at the same time.”

The 6-3, 7-6(3) triumph reaffirmed her reign as the Queen of Hard Courts. “She loves the pressure. She loves being No. 1,” said Evert. “What a great role model for girls and tennis.”

The future is just as bright for Anisimova. “She needs to add a little to her game, just as Sabalenka did with more volleys and drop shots,” said Navratilova.

“Amanda will win Majors, plural, when she learns to keep that extra shot in,” predicted  ESPN analyst Darren Cahill. “She’s training harder. She wants it more desperately than ever.”

Published on Sep 09, 2025