Rivalries, the good ones, are living, breathing things. They do not settle into form, nor do they allow for predictability. There's a perpetual air of tension around them. In the last couple of years, as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have created a duopoly over tennis, relegating pretty much everyone else to also-rans, their on-court rivalry has been reaching new ground with every slam.
Until the morning of 7th September, Alcaraz and Sinner had met 14 times in major tournaments, with Alcaraz leading the head-to-head 9-5. But, in the last couple of years, which is to say the seven previous Grand Slams, Sinner had won four and Alcaraz three. Going back twelve months, to last year's US Open, Sinner had won three out of the four Slams, and had three championship points in the one he fluffed.
The 2025 US Open men's singles final began thirty minutes late. The spider-cam leapt in the air to give us an eagle's view as Jannik Sinner bounced the ball for his first serve: half the Arthur Ashe was empty. Social media threw up pictures from the gates, where thousands were stuck, because movement of commoners was prohibited while the Head of State was still settling into the Rolex Suite. The Star Spangled Megalomaniac enjoyed seeing his face on the jumbotron; the audience, not so much.
Alcaraz, wearing a purple kit and the buzzcut that oddly fits him and doesn't, broke Sinner in the very first game. It was a sign of things to come, though not one we immediately thought much of.
A few months ago, on Andy Roddick's podcast, Rafael Nadal spoke of Federer and Djokovic, of how their differences elevated the spectacle, especially Fedal: they were doing totally different things on court. I think that's what makes Alcaraz vs Sinner work so well. Alcaraz is the showman, the lightning rod, whereas Sinner is the surgeon. Alcaraz will play the most spectacular shots of any evening; Sinner will be precise, awesome, and find a way to win. Alcaraz makes you jump out of your seat; Sinner makes you feel like his opponent doesn't have a chance. Both of them win a lot. And physically, these two have already taken tennis higher than ever.
What we hadn't seen enough of, thankfully, is Carlos Alcaraz playing percentage tennis. At his best, Carlos Alcaraz has the style of Rafael Nadal with the athleticism of Novak Djokovic. On Sunday night, under a closed roof - because, you know, snipers can be anywhere - Alcaraz poured a bit more Novak into his game. In the first set, which lasted all of 37 minutes, he blew Sinner apart. The Italian did not have a chance. Alcaraz hit 11 winners and made only two unforced errors. That ratio for Sinner was 6-9.
Sinner broke Alcaraz's serve early in the second set, and pretty much steamrolled the Spaniard to take the set 6-3, going to the net frequently, whacking the Hollywood forehand early in the rally. Cue: Wimbledon flashbacks.
In July, at the Centre Court in South-West London, Alcaraz had zoomed through the first set, only to find Sinner entering the chat and never quite leaving it. With every serve, Sinner pushed Alcaraz further and took the second, third, and fourth sets by a symmetric 6-4.
And yet, even as Alcaraz started the third set, there was a serenity about him, a sense of certainty. Sinner's incredible second set didn't seem to register anymore, as if it was a storm that needed passing. His team screamed, "Venga!", to which he nodded with a smile. Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, who knows a thing or two about winning Grand Slams, told the press later than his protege had told him, "I will win the match" well before walking out on the court.
In the third set, Alcaraz was up 5-0 before anyone could blink. It was a one-man show for the last hour. If it's even possible for a game between these two, a bit unspectacular even, but only by their standards. Alcaraz took some risks - 40 winners - played a creamy forehand here and a deft half-volley there, and managed to get Steph Curry raising his hands in approval. He sent two consecutive 132 mph aces through the corners. But, all through, he was keyed in, for once unwilling to sacrifice even an inch of control. Sinner, possibly still nursing a small injury he took in the semi-final, just couldn't get into the game. It didn't take long for Carlos to close the evening.
Alcaraz now has six Grand Slam titles - the second-youngest ever to get there, behind only Bjorn Borg. This slam, he has served so well, he faced only 10 break points through these last two weeks - the lowest ever for a men's Grand Slam since 1991, lower than Sampras and Agassi and Federer and Nadal's most dominant fortnights. He won 98 out of 101 service games in the tournament, dropping just three games, becoming only the second Grand Slam men's singles champion, after Pete Sampras, to drop three or less service games en route to a title.
It was a fortnight of records. And yet, what will please him and his coaches the most is the gear he found on the big night. He will always be the rockstar. But just knowing that he is capable of this level of control, against the most challenging opponent in the circuit, is equal amounts crazy and scary.
This wasn't the kind of triumph that gets ex-tennis players tripping over themselves to record soundbites. This match will find no space in the highlight reels of this rivalry, a decade from now, when we start getting nostalgic about these two. But it will make a highly competitive athlete very proud. 22-year-old champions aren't supposed to be this clinical.
Carlos's serving made all the difference, no? At Wimbledon, he could barely get his first serve in and Jannik was eating up his weak second serves. It was a neat reversal in this one. Was just watching the post-match press and Sinner spoke about needing to be more unpredictable on court.
They're both so bloody good and still they find ways to get better. Insane.
The defeat of the scalpel holder by the lightning rod conductor has been wonderfully analysed by the biro wielder 😊