Jannik Sinner came into the US Open as one of the top contenders, building momentum after his Wimbledon triumph over Carlos Alcaraz. His strong play round after round earned high praise, including from Novak Djokovic, who called Sinner “the dominant force from the start of the tournament”.
The semifinals, however, raised some doubts. While Alcaraz dispatched Djokovic in straight sets, Sinner faced tougher-than-expected challenges from Felix Auger-Aliassime, ultimately prevailing in four sets.
In the final at Arthur Ashe Stadium, it was Alcaraz who dominated, playing some of his best tennis and maintaining total focus to defeat Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. This marked Sinner’s second Grand Slam final loss to Alcaraz this year, following Roland Garros, and secured Alcaraz the ATP No. 1 ranking.
Boris Becker, the former World No. 1 and six-time Grand Slam champion, including the 1989 US Open, expressed disappointment with Sinner’s performance.
“I’m someone who always feels the need to tell the truth. So I was a little disappointed. I expected more. But of course, I wasn’t disappointed with Alcaraz because he really has learned a lot. He plays better tennis today than he did a year ago. He has more variety, he changes pace. He plays serve and volley, he plays backhand slice, he plays a forehand where you can’t see the ball. And I think Sinner has stagnated with his game for the first time,” Becker said on the Becker-Petkovic podcast.
Juan Carlos Ferrero details Alcaraz’s strategy at the final against Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz’s coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, shared the strategy and preparation behind Alcaraz’s dominant performance in the US Open final against Jannik Sinner, who entered the tournament as the top favorite.
“We trained for 15 days, focusing on every detail we needed to improve against Sinner. On hard courts, Jannik is always very tough and wins many matches. This preparation helped tremendously. Carlos realized he needed to raise his level and got to work immediately. The match was perfect. He committed to consistently going after the game and applying pressure on Jannik before he could dictate play. That was one of the keys,” Ferrero told ATP.com.
“We constantly reminded him to enjoy himself and stay positive on the court, to avoid stress and go after the points. Given the way he plays, it may be easier for him than for others. Carlos’ match was flawless—a truly unforgettable performance,” he added.