Alcaraz vs Sinner: Who can break the hegemony of world tennis?

Alcaraz Solidifies His Dominance: Conquers the US Open 2025

Carlos Alcaraz enthusiastically celebrated his victory at the 2025 US Open, after defeating his rival Jannik Sinner in a final that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. The Spanish tennis player, visibly moved, knelt down and extended his arms in a sign of triumph before a crowd of 24,000 people at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Before anything else, Alcaraz approached Sinner to hug and congratulate him, demonstrating the respect and friendship that exists between them, despite their rivalry on the court. Together, they left the stadium with their arms intertwined, symbolizing mutual admiration. This was the third consecutive match in a Grand Slam final between Alcaraz and Sinner. Sunday’s final, with sky-high ticket prices and the world number 1 at stake, did not disappoint. Alcaraz won the match, with a score of 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, obtaining his sixth Grand Slam title. The 2025 season marks a milestone, as it is the first since 2002 in which no member of the “Big Three” (Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal) reached a Grand Slam final. This demonstrates the beginning of a new era in tennis, with Alcaraz and Sinner as the main references. Following Alcaraz’s victory, the pair has won the last eight Grand Slam tournaments, with four titles each, solidifying their dominance on the circuit.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner (in the background) have won the last eight Grand Slam titles together.In the past, the question of whether someone else could win a major tournament seemed distant. However, the rise of Alcaraz and Sinner has radically changed the tennis landscape. Novak Djokovic, after winning his quarter-final match, acknowledged the difficulty of facing Alcaraz in the semi-finals and Sinner in the final. Djokovic stated that Alcaraz and Sinner are the best players in the world.

“I know they are the two best players in the world.”

Djokovic

Three days later, Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in a mostly one-sided match, 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2, advancing to the final. Djokovic’s demeanor had noticeably changed and he sounded dejected, if not resigned to his fate, when he spoke to the media again.

Sunday’s match officially marked the first season since 2002 in which no member of the Big Three (Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal) reached a Grand Slam final. But it is very clear that a new era of dominance is upon us, and the torch has been passed.

In 2025, Alcaraz and Sinner have faced each other in the previous three Grand Slam finals. Alcaraz won the French Open in a dramatic comeback, and Sinner ruined Alcaraz’s bid for a three-peat at Wimbledon in four sets. Throughout the last eight major tournaments, they have collectively faced four other opponents in the finals: Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev, and Alexander Zverev (twice).

“We know they are the two best players in the world,” said twenty-four-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic at the US Open.Other players, such as Ben Shelton, have shown potential. Shelton won three titles in Masters 1000 level events this year.

This year, Sinner won the Australian Open and Wimbledon, while Alcaraz took the Wimbledon and US Open titles.The Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca is also considered a future contender. Fonseca, who made his debut in the main draw of a major tournament this season, has yet to face Alcaraz or Sinner. During the US Open, Alcaraz and Sinner demonstrated impressive dominance. Before the final, both had won at least 95% of their service games. Alcaraz won 98% of his service games. The final on Sunday marked only the second time in the Open Era that two men shared all the major titles in two seasons, joining Federer and Nadal in 2006 and 2007. The pair became the first men in the Open Era to play in three consecutive major finals during the same calendar year, and the first duo in the sport to do so since Venus and Serena Williams in 2002.