NEW YORK: Carlos Alcaraz claimed the U.S. Open crown for a second time with his win over Jannik Sinner on Sunday, a victory which showcased the Spaniard’s evolution over the last three years from the impulsiveness of youth to the measured maturity of a six-time Grand Slam winner.

After losing the Wimbledon final to Sinner in July, Alcaraz bounced back with flair and authority to beat the Italian 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 at the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 22-year-old, who won his first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows in 2022, also returned to the top of the rankings for the first time since 2023 with the win over his great rival.

“The number one [ranking] is a goal that I had set myself almost at the beginning of the year and to see that I have achieved it is something incredible,” a smiling Alcaraz told reporters. “Doing it the same day as getting another Grand Slam feels even better.

“It has been two spectacular weeks, at a very high level tennis-wise, but above all mentally, which I am very proud of. The first U.S. Open [title] was about my youth and this one is more maturity. Little by little I’m growing, I’m knowing how to deal with certain situations.”

The transformation from his Wimbledon heartbreak showed Alcaraz’s remarkable adaptability.

“Right after the Wimbledon final I just thought that I need to improve if I want to beat him,” the Spaniard said, “If I want to win the U.S. Open, if I want to beat Jannik, I have to play perfect.”

His performance at Flushing Meadows was indeed close to perfection.

The Spaniard dropped just one set — against Sinner on Sunday — en route to the championship, and he leaves New York on a 13-match winning streak and with his seventh title of the season in the bag.

“I feel like this is the best tournament so far that I have ever played,” Alcaraz added. “The consistency of my level during the whole tournament has been really high, which I’m really proud of.”

Alcaraz is already thinking about his next big goal — winning the Australian Open to complete a career Grand Slam.

“It’s my first goal, to complete a career Grand Slam. It’s always been in my mind,” Alcaraz, who has not made it past the quarter-finals in four trips to Australia, said.

“When I just go to the preseasons to what I want to improve, what I want to achieve, Australian Open is there. I’ll try to complete it next year, but if it’s not next year, then in two, three, or four. I just want to complete it.”

Alcaraz and Sinner are the torch-bearers of the current generation, sweeping the last eight majors between them and taking 10 of the last 13.

Their fifth meeting of the season — their third Grand Slam final of 2025 — shifted their rivalry firmly in the Spaniard’s favour, with the head-to-head now standing at 10-5 for Alcaraz.

SINNER VOWS CHANGE

Sinner said he needed to overhaul his “predictable” game to reignite his rivalry with Alcaraz.

He and Alcaraz will finish 2025 with honors even at the most demanding level of the sport, with two Grand Slam titles apiece. But Sinner has now lost seven of his last eight meetings against Alcaraz.

That run of results, culminating in Sunday’s loss, is cause for concern the 24-year-old Italian, who believes a riskier, less “predictable” approach is necessary if he is to keep pace with Alcaraz.

“I was very predictable today, on court in the way of he did many things, he changed up the game,” Sinner told reporters. “Now it’s going to be on me if I want to make changes or not, you know? Definitely we are going to work on that.

“I’m trying to be more prepared for the next match that I will play against him. It also, I feel like, depends how you arrive to play against Carlos. You know, one thing is when the scoreline, matches before are comfortable but you always do the same things, like I did.

“For example, during this tournament, I didn’t make one serve-volley, didn’t use a lot of drop shots, and then you arrive to a point where you play against Carlos where you have to go out of the comfort zone.”

The loss of his number one ranking after 65 weeks atop the game represents new territory for Sinner, but he embraced the change with characteristic composure.

“Something new is now I’m not number one anymore, so you know, it also changes a little bit that you chase. It’s different. Then we see,” he said.

Despite the disappointment, Sinner maintained perspective on his extraordinary year.

“I’m still proud of myself, about the season I’m playing, and making... four Grand Slam finals of the year,” he added. “You know, two Grand Slams won, two times lost in the final, it’s incredible results.”

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2025