A third Grand Slam final of 2025. An eighth major winner in a row. A battle for world number one.
At the conclusion of the 2025 US Open final, the rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner began to envelop men’s tennis, with the Spaniard’s 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory meaning his takes home his second US Open title and his sixth Grand Slam, all before the age of 23.
Alcaraz and his Italian counterpart are already beginning to define an era of the game just as Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal did until only recently, and while Djokovic remains in the mid-2020s, the ‘Sincaraz’ era is well underway, with the duo winning each of the last Grand Slam titles between them.
Not since Djokovic’s win in New York in 2023 has anybody other than Sinner or Alcaraz won a men’s major, and while the hunt for a career Grand Slam will continue for both players until at least January – when Alcaraz could land the ‘final’ major in Australia – the most recent chapter in the rivalry was written at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, with a dominant Alcaraz performance illustrating that this pair remain far ahead of their contemporaries for now.
What have Sinner and Alcaraz said?
Alcaraz has previously suggested that no other rivalry in the game at the moment possesses the same “level”, presumably either in intensity or natural talent.
“I think it’s great [the rivalry] for us and for tennis. Every time we play against each other, I think our level is really high,” the Spaniard said.
“I don’t see any player playing against each other having the level that we are playing when we face each other.”
Speaking after his win in the Wimbledon final, Sinner thanked Alcaraz while praising the 22-year-old, who is almost two years his junior.
“Carlos, thank you for the player you are,” the Italian said. “It is so difficult to play you but we have a great relationship off the court.
“Keep going, keep pushing, you are going to hold this trophy many times – you already have twice,” he added, referring to the Wimbledon trophy.
Alcaraz vs Sinner stats
This duo have met 15 times in their professional careers, with Alcaraz having won 10 and Sinner winning ‘just’ five.
The 2025 US Open final was the third major final that the duo have contested, after Alcaraz won an epic French Open final before Sinner got his revenge at Wimbledon.
While the 22-year-old leads Sinner in overall wins, Grand Slam titles and career titles to date, Sinner has spent far longer as world number one – with 59 weeks in top spot compared to Alcaraz’s 36 – though the Spaniard will return to top spot after winning at Flushing Meadows.
Head-to-head
Alcaraz 9 – 5 Sinner
Grand Slam titles
Alcaraz 6 – 4 Sinner
Career titles
Alcaraz 23- 20 Sinner
Weeks at No.1
Alcaraz 36 – 59 Sinner
Alcaraz vs Sinner head-to-head
Below is a full breakdown of the duo’s record in matches against each other:
2021
- Paris Masters Round of 32: Alcaraz won 7-6 (7-1) 7-5
2022
- Wimbledon Round of 16: Sinner won 6–1 6–4 6–7 (8–10) 6–3
- Croatia Open Final: Sinner won 6–7 (5–7) 6–1 6–1
- US Open Quater-final: Alcaraz won 6–3 6–7 (7-9) 6–7 (0-7) 7–5 6–3
2023
- Indian Wells Semi-final: Alcaraz won 7–6 (7-4) 6–3
- Miami Open Semi-final: Sinner won 6–7 (4–7) 6–4 6–2
- China Open Semi-final: Sinner won 7–6 (7–4) 6–1
2024
- Indian Wells Semi-final: Alcaraz won 1–6 6–3 6–2
- French Open Semi-final: Alcaraz won 2–6 6–3 3–6 6–4 6–3
- China Open Final: Alcaraz won 6–7 (6–8) 6–4 7–6 (7–3)
- Italian Open Final: Alcaraz won 7–6 (7–5) 6–1
2025
- French Open Final: Alcaraz won 4–6 6–7 (4–7) 6–4 7–6 (7–3) 7–6 (10–2)
- Wimbledon Final: Sinner won 4–6 6–4 6–4 6–4
- Cincinnati Open – Final: Alcaraz won 5-0 (retired)
- US Open Final: Alcaraz won 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
