Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have swept all the previous seven Grand Slams and are set to add another one to their cabinet as the ‘Sincaraz’ rivalry takes center stage in tennis. There is a lot at stake in New York for the US Open final
Never before in the Open Era of tennis, two same players have met each other at three consecutive Grand Slam finals in a single season. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have gone miles ahead of the rest of the pack in taking over the reins from the tennis’ Big Three.
The US Open final meeting is their third consecutive meeting at the Majors. Their continuous meetings in the finals can be attributed to the duopoly that they are exerting to some extent. But there is nothing to take away from Sinner and Alcaraz as they have made themselves above the rest of the pack.ย
Alcaraz has not dropped a set till now on his run to the final, while Sinner, who has not turned up his best game yet, has dropped only two.ย
The two are now losing matches only against each other. The last time Alcaraz lost a Grand Slam match to any other player than Sinner was the first Major of the year in Melbourne when Novak Djokovic sneaked a way in the quarterfinal to stun the Spaniard.
This dates evenย further back for Sinner. The Italian World No.1 last suffered a defeat at the Majors apart from Alcaraz was way back in Wimbledon 2024 quarterfinal, when he lost a five-set thriller to Daniil Medvedev.ย
US Open title and World No.1 spot on the line
When Sinner and Alcaraz meet each other, there will be a lot at stake. Alcaraz is looking for his sixth Grand Slam, while Sinner is hunting for his fifth. The winner of the match will also take the World No.1 rank, which is currently with the Italian for 65 consecutive weeks.
Meanwhile, if Sinner beats Alcaraz in the final, he will also become the first man since Roger Federer to have won back-to-back Flushing Meadows titles, with the Swiss legend achieving it in 2004. He is already only the fourth man to have reached into five consecutive Grand Slam finals after Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Sinner is also the youngest of the lot.
Alcaraz has history in his sights
Meanwhile, Alcaraz has a chance to achieve something spectacular. If he wins at New York in straight sets, he would become the first-ever man to win the Major without dropping a single set.
On his consistency, Alcaraz said, “For me, it’s great. It’s something that I’m working on, just the consistency in the matches, in the tournaments, in the year in general.”
“Just not having ups and downs in the match. Just the level that I start the match [with], just wanted to keep that level really high during the whole match.
“So I’m thinking I’m doing that in this tournament, which I’m really proud about. Yeah, let’s see. But probably I’m just getting mature. I’m just getting to know myself much better, what I need on, off the court. The things that I’m doing off the court, I think I’m doing really, really well, which helps a lot, and to play my best tennis. I think it’s getting better.”
Whether it is Sinner or Alcaraz, whoever gets their hand on the US Open trophy, the two have built a rivalry that promises to only grow in the future. It’s time for Sincaraz part three as Arthur Ashe Stadium awaits a new chapter to be written in their growing rivalry.