Jannik Sinner looks back on rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz and their first US Open clash

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz kicked off their US Open campaigns with decisive victories. The World No. 1 and No. 2 are currently the biggest rivalry on the ATP Tour, with fans eagerly anticipating a potential Grand Slam final showdown.

Sinner breezed past Vit Kopriva in the first round, winning 6-1, 6-1, 6-2, while Alcaraz defeated local Reilly Opelka in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4. Both players remain on track toward the final, where they could meet once again and compete for another Major title.

The last seven Grand Slam titles have been split between the two stars. Alcaraz claimed Roland Garros in 2024 and 2025, as well as Wimbledon in 2024. Sinner, meanwhile, won the Australian Open in 2024 and 2025, the 2024 US Open, and most recently Wimbledon, defeating Alcaraz in the championship match.

Looking ahead, the Italian and Spanish players could meet again in a Grand Slam final at the US Open. They have only faced each other once before, in the 2022 quarterfinals, where Alcaraz emerged victorious in one of the most memorable matches.

“Three years back I felt like we were getting to know each other obviously and in different ways, but we also didn’t know exactly what to expect in the future,” Sinner said in press conference, reflecting on the 2022 encounter. “It’s the same now… I feel like when we were very, very young, it was a kind of match where you just go on court and just hit. Now I feel like we have to prepare tactically, we have to prepare it also emotionally and mentally”.

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“It’s everything different, because in the past three years, we faced each other many times, and every match we play it’s different, if we watch the tactical side. So we make adjustments. But for sure it was an important match to see also that our peak is very interesting to see also from the outside. It was for sure one of the key matches, even if we were very young,” he added.

Sinner comments on Alcaraz’s new haircut

When Alcaraz took the court against Opelka in his US Open debut, fans noticed his bold new haircut—a clean-shaven look. After his own first-round win, Sinner joked that he wouldn’t try the same style himself, but complimented Alcaraz on how well he carries it.

Carlos Alcaraz reacts against Reilly Opelka during the 2025 US Open. (Elsa/Getty Images)

“No, [I wouldn’t want one myself], but honestly I think everything suits him,” Sinner said at his press conference. “It grows very fast, so it’s going to be all aligned in two days. But it suits him. Even like this, it looks good. Even when he has longer hair, it suits”.