'I see you more than my family' – Alcaraz & Sinner push each other higher
Carlos Alcaraz joked that he sees Jannik Sinner more than sees his family – but it is difficult to see who can challenge them at the top of the game.
Carlos Alcaraz joked that he sees Jannik Sinner more than sees his family – but it is difficult to see who can challenge them at the top of the game.
Carlos Alcaraz continued to add to his resume on Sunday with his second US Open title and his sixth major overall. It will not take the 22-year-old long to turn his attention to his biggest goal: completing the Career Grand Slam.
The Spaniard has claimed two crowns apiece at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. The only major left is the Australian Open, where he will try to secure glory at the start of next season.
“It’s my first goal, to be honest. When I just go to the preseason to [see] what I want to improve, what I want to achieve, Australian Open is there,” Alcaraz said. “It’s the first or second tournament of the year, and it is always the main goal for me to complete a Career Grand Slam, Calendar Grand Slam. So it’s going to be great.”
Alcaraz did more than lift the US Open trophy. By defeating Jannik Sinner, the 23-time tour-level titlist also recaptured World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings from the Italian. It is the new No. 1’s first time at the top of the standings since September 2023.
“Since I got the chance to recover the No. 1, it was one of the first goals that I had during the season, just to try to recover the No. 1 as soon as possible or end the year as the No. 1,” Alcaraz said. “For me, achieving that once again, it is a dream. Doing [it] in the same day as getting another Grand Slam feels even better. It’s everything I’m working for, and I’m really happy to be able to live these experiences.”
Alcaraz’s coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, always tries to extract the maximum from his charge. But even the former World No. 1 said Sunday evening on multiple occasions that Alcaraz played the “perfect” match against Sinner.
“He always wants me to play at my best, and not too many times I would say he’s said that, that I played perfectly. So for me, it’s a great win,” Alcaraz said. “But, yeah, he’s right. I think I played perfect. I played perfectly.”
The champion lost just one set in the tournament — against Sinner on Sunday — and dropped serve just three times, becoming the second men’s singles champion at a major since 1991 to lose three or fewer service games en route to glory. The only other man who has done it, Pete Sampras, accomplished the feat at Wimbledon in 1994 and 1997.
“I feel like this is the best tournament. Since the first rounds to the end of the tournament, the best tournament so far that I have ever played,” Alcaraz said. “The consistency of my level during the whole tournament has been really, really high, which I’m really proud of, because it’s something that I’ve been working on, to be really consistent.”
Alcaraz and Sinner have met in three consecutive major finals, and it is safe to say this will not be their last clash in a big moment. Alcaraz now leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 10-5, but will continue looking for ways to learn from their encounters.
“I love watching him play. I think it is unbelievable what he’s doing. Secondly, it’s because I love to study him, how he plays, how he feels on the tournaments just [so] if I played him in that tournament, just to have feedback how he’s been playing in the tournaments,” Alcaraz said. “I wouldn’t say he’s predictable, but I know his style. I know what he’s going to do or his main weapons [in] his game. So I just try to be focused on that.”
For now, Alcaraz will enjoy this moment. There are goals like winning the two remaining ATP Masters 1000 events of the season and triumphing at the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time, but the Spaniard will soak in the rewards of his hard work in New York.
“It’s a great feeling. It’s great. I’m working really hard just to lift this trophy. It’s my second one, but it’s still a dream, a dream come true,” Alcaraz said. “The second one here is super special.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Before the US Open, Carlos Alcaraz told himself to “go for it, don’t be afraid”. That motto saw him go on to take the title.
Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors and Marat Safin were among the members of the ATP No. 1 Club who are in attendance at the US Open final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
Lendl handed Alcaraz the trophy after the Spaniard’s triumph. The three-time US Open champion was seated just below fellow former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Stefan Edberg, a two-time US Open winner, during the match.
<img alt=”Marat Safin (middle) assists with the coin toss before the US Open final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/09/07/19/46/safin-us-open-2025-final-coin-toss.jpg” />
Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Only 29 players have reached No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings since 1973 and at least 12 of them are inside Arthur Ashe Stadium including Sinner and Alcaraz, who were playing a winner-takes-all match from which Alcaraz emerged as the new World No. 1.
Safin assisted with the coin toss and Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz’s coach, was in the Spaniard’s box.
John McEnroe and Jim Courier were working on commentary, while other No. 1s in attendance include Lendl, Connors, Andre Agassi, Mats Wilander and Patrick Rafter.
Click here to learn more about the ATP No. 1 Club and the stars who make up the elite group.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]