Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are once again set to square off in a grand slam final and it feels like this year’s US Open is absolute confirmation that this rivalry will dominate the men’s game for the next several years.
Sinner and Alcaraz won their semifinal matches in impressive fashion on Friday, setting up their third straight clash in a grand slam final. With the way they’re playing, it feels like it’ll be a surprise if anyone else gets a crack at a major championship any time soon.
The world No. 1 started off his match hot, taking the first three games and rolling through the first set 6-1. But Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime won the hearts of the New York crowd with a spirited performance and took the second set.
It was Sinner who ended up getting the crucial breaks in the third and fourth set though, sending him on his way to a hard-fought victory. One last rally between the two opponents who thrilled this crowd for nearly three-and-a-half hours ended when Auger-Aliassime sent a final shot long and gave the fourth set to Sinner.
Sinner took the match 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, is back in the US Open final after a straight-sets victory over Novak Djokovic that was a lot tougher than the scoreline will show.
Alcaraz defeated the 24-time grand slam champion 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-2 in a match that went a little more than two-and-a-half hours.
It was a display of power against guile as Alcaraz was able to cover his entire half of the court whenever he wanted and was firing shots back at the veteran, who used his hard-won anticipation and bloody determination to hang with the Spaniard as long as he could.
But after one last double fault and an unforced error, Djokovic was broken and it was the 22-year-old who would be moving on.
The Spanish sensation has yet to drop a set in the US Open this year.
The final is set for 2 p.m. ET on Sunday.