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 āthe dominant force from the start of the tournamentā.
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 Sinnerās 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 Sinnerās performance.
Jannik Sinner lost his second Grand Slam final to Carlos Alcaraz this season. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
āIām someone who always feels the need to tell the truth. So I was a little disappointed. I expected more. But of course, I wasnāt 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 canāt see the ball. And I think Sinner has stagnated with his game for the first time,ā Becker said on the Becker-Petkovic podcast.
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Jannik Sinner announces changes after losing US Open and No. 1 spot to Carlos Alcaraz
Juan Carlos Ferrero details Alcarazās strategy at the final against Sinner
Carlos Alcarazās coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, shared the strategy and preparation behind Alcarazās dominant performance in the US Open final against Jannik Sinner, who entered the tournament as the top favorite.
āWe 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,ā Ferrero told ATP.com.
āWe 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. Carlosā match was flawlessāa truly unforgettable performance,ā he added.
