{"id":19742,"date":"2025-09-07T21:23:24","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T21:23:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/?p=19742"},"modified":"2025-09-07T21:23:24","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T21:23:24","slug":"us-open-tennis-2025-jannik-sinner-v-carlos-alcaraz-mens-singles-final-live-us-open-tennis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/?p=19742","title":{"rendered":"US Open tennis 2025: Jannik Sinner v Carlos Alcaraz, men\u2019s singles final \u2013 live | US Open tennis"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Sinner 2-6 6-3 1-6 3-5 Alcaraz* <\/strong>A(nother) big serve, 15-0; a(nother) big serve backed up by a swing-volley, 30-0. An ace follows, and I\u2019ve never seen Sinner out-hit like this, not even by Alcaraz. He holds to love and, given the opponent and given the context, this is one of the greatest serving performances I\u2019ve ever seen. The Spaniard is game away and, though he came back from a worse position to win in Paris, there\u2019s no sense this is on today.<\/p>\n

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*Sinner 2-6 6-3 1-6 3-4 Alcaraz <\/strong>Sinner badly needs a comfy hold here \u2013 he\u2019s not had one to love all match \u2013 but just as he looks set, Alcaraz makes 40-15. No matter: a return is swatted long and the champ is still in the match, just. Can he get something going before it\u2019s too late?<\/p>\n

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Sinner 2-6 6-3 1-6 2-4 Alcaraz* <\/strong>At 15-0, Alcaraz misses a forehand down the line, not words I\u2019ve typed often today, then Sinner climbs into two forehands of his own, making 15-30. But have a look! Alcaraz dematerialises an ace out wide, at 132mph too \u2013 his joint-fastest of the tournament \u2013 then another animal, supported by a forehand, allows him to kiss over a volley \u2026 before he astonishes another ace, this time down the T. Each time these two meet, one of them delivers a performance that ups the ante, and that\u2019s exactly what Alcaraz is up to here.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a017.16 EDT<\/p>\n

*Sinner 2-6 6-3 1-6 2-3 Alcaraz <\/strong>At 15-0, another ridiculous point, Alcaraz returning well then Sinner playing a fine volley on the stretch \u2026 only to send his follow-up wide, just. A service-winner follows, but a needlessly long forehand means that at 30-all, the champ is again shoved under the pump, and a double shows the extent to which he\u2019s feeling it. At break point, Alcaraz can feel the presence of the trophy, all the more so when given a second serve at which to go, and he plays the kind of rally Sinner likes to force when in control, keeping the ball in court so his desperate opponent has to go big \u2026 and the champ overhits a forehand! By a way! Alcaraz leads 2-1 3-2 with a break, and he\u2019s three holds away from the title! He\u2019s been near-perfect today.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a017.11 EDT<\/p>\n

Sinner 2-6 6-3 1-6 2-2 Alcaraz* <\/strong>At 15-all, Alcaraz powers down an ace at 131mph \u2013 that part of his game is improving in real time \u2013 but Sinner then wins a battle of improbable forehands, retrieving from out wide to go cross, the riposte missing, but only just. At 40-30, though, Alcaraz finds another first serve and it\u2019s enough for the hold; we\u2019re told that on those points, he\u2019s 34-5 for the match.<\/p>\n

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*Sinner 2-6 6-3 1-6 2-1 Alcaraz <\/strong>At 15-0, Alcaraz scoops a forehand from centre to corner, his timing supreme. But Sinner keeps the head, skidding in to dispatch a volley, then clenching fist when a return is netted. From there, he closes out a more definitive hold, and this set is on a rolling boil.<\/p>\n

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Sinner 2-6 6-3 1-6 1-1 Alcaraz* <\/strong>Sinner will be feeling a little better after that, but at the same time will know he\u2019s currently second-best. So he tries to up the aggression, hitting harder towards the backhand, but Alcaraz is in really good control of himself, making 40-15 then toying with the champ, a drop, then a lob, then a pass securing a statement-hold. Almost immediately, pressure is transferred back to Sinner.<\/p>\n

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*Sinner 2-6 6-3 1-6 1-0 Alcaraz <\/strong>A mistake from Sinner hands over 0-15, but Alcaraz then goes long on the forehand; 15-all. Then, at 30-15, a monstrous forehand return facilitates the clean-up, and these next points feel crucial \u2026 all the more so when Alcaraz anticipates a backhand down the line, gets to it in time to unleash on the forehand, and when Sinner can\u2019t pass he has break point at 30-40. The champ, though, has the bottle and skill to clout a forehand on to the line \u2013 Alcaraz still almost gets it back in improbable fashion \u2013 then makes advantage, only to be diddled by a drop, the rapier and the broadsword deployed in equal measure. Back to deuce we go and a double follows, the pressure on the champ telling: the match might be here. So Sinner pays a delicious volley, Alcaraz sprints to retrieve, somehow getting it back \u2026 but the putaway is left and taken. Again, though, Sinner can\u2019t close out after making advantage, a backhand return to the ankles too good. This is so intense it puts Glastonbury to shame, Sinner restoring his ad with a one-two serve-backhand combo, then Alcaraz spanks a forehand flat and long; after 10 minutes, Sinner has his hold, surviving two break points in the process.<\/p>\n

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Carlos Alcaraz wins the third set 6-1 to lead Jannik Sinner 2-1<\/h2>\n

Sinner 2-6 6-3 1-6 Alcaraz* <\/strong>An ace out wide makes 15-0; a service-winner follows. And though Sinner then lands a return close to the line, seeing out the rally for 30-15, a backhand falls long to raise two set points, and an unreturned serve then secures things. That was a very serious set (of tennis) from Alcaraz, and Sinner needs two straight to retain his title.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Alcaraz reigns supreme in the third set.<\/span> Photograph: Crist\u00f3bal Herrera\/EPAShare<\/p>\n

Updated at\u00a016.49 EDT<\/p>\n

*Sinner 2-6 6-3 1-5 Alcaraz <\/strong>I think the major difference here is Alcraz\u2019s versatility: he can send Sinner running about the court, inventing angles, whereas Sinner tends to rely on straight-line power. At 15-0, a forehand to the corner, followed by a buggy-whip swing-volley winner \u2013 seriously! \u2013 makes Alcaraz 15-all. From there, though, the champ closes out avoiding the bagel and forcing the Spaniard to serve for set three.<\/p>\n

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Sinner 2-6 6-3 0-5 Alcaraz* <\/strong>Down 0-15, Alcaraz splatters an ace down the T, then scythes another out wide and on to the line; a wrong-footing forehand follows, and this is tennis so inspiring I want to cry, laugh and climb inside it for ever. From there, the Spaniard closes out, and he\u2019s a game away from 2-1.<\/p>\n

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*Sinner 2-6 6-3 0-4 Alcaraz <\/strong>Sinner nets a forehand then slings another long and wide; he\u2019s in grave danger of surrendering this set. And when Alcaraz nails a return, then clobbers a forehand winner cross-court, he\u2019s three double-break points down. The first is saved when the Spaniard goes for too much, but that\u2019s what\u2019s brought him to this point, so he won\u2019t recriminate too much \u2026 and Sinner goes long with another forehand! Alcaraz breaks for the fourth time tonight, as many times as Sinner had been broke in the competition prior to tonight, and the third set is almost over. Carlos Alcaraz is mesmeric.<\/p>\n

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Sinner 2-6 6-3 0-3 Alcaraz* <\/strong>Sinner quickly makes 0-30, and these are some crucial points coming up. The first looks over when Alcaraz schmeisses a forehand to the corner, but a tremendous get sends the ball bouncing deep, close to the baseline \u2026 and have a look! A bounce-smash, swinging away like it\u2019s come out of Wasim Akram\u2019s hand, makes 15-30, an ace follows, and more net sorcery secures the consolidation. Alcaraz salutes the crowd, back in control of this match, his ability to mine seams of genre-busting form like nothing we\u2019ve ever seen before.<\/p>\n

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*Sinner 2-6 6-3 0-2 Alcaraz <\/strong>Between games, we see that in set two, Sinner sent way more balls to Alcaraz\u2019s backhand, which makes sense: the forehand was controlling the match. And, as I type, a cross-court return makes 0-15, then further aggression earns 0-30; naturally Sinner soon levels things, the look on his face that of a man who knows. But when he sends a backhand wide, Alcaraz has break point, noising up the crowd to get himself going while upping the pressure on the champ, who serves massively \u2026 but Alcaraz punishes a forehand return … and Sinner sticks his putaway wide! That\u2019s the stress of playing this man for this trophy, and for the third srt in a row, we\u2019ve an early break!<\/p>\n

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Sinner 2-6 6-3 0-1 Alcaraz*<\/strong> In the Wimbledon final, Alcaraz won set one before Sinner settled and took the next three; I wonder if we\u2019ll see something similar here, consistency outlasting creativity. I certainly get the sense that the Spaniard needs to win from the front \u2013 I can\u2019t see him coming back from 2-1 down \u2013 and at 30-all, he absolutely devastates a buggy-whip forehand that elicits the loudest \u201cVamos!\u201d we\u2019ve enjoyed in a while. Sinner then nets, and that\u2019s a really important hold secured.<\/p>\n

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Jannik Sinner takes the second set against Carlos Alcaraz 6-3 to level the match at one-all<\/h2>\n

*Sinner 2-6 6-3 Alcaraz <\/strong>A forehand winner but then a forehand sent long; 15-all, and Sinner can\u2019t get away. But Alcaraz is unusually tentative when sent a second serve and, though he works his way into the rally with further loopy forehands, a drop allows sinner into the net, and he kills the point from there. A big serve then makes 40-15 before Alcaraz overhits a swing-volley, and that\u2019s a set apiece. Sinner didn\u2019t play as well as his opponent did in the first, but the early break and solid serving did the trick. I\u2019ve not a clue what\u2019s going to happen next; good!<\/p>\n

<\/span>Jannik Sinner of Italy reacts after winning the second set.<\/span> Photograph: Matthew Stockman\/Getty ImagesShare<\/p>\n

Updated at\u00a016.42 EDT<\/p>\n

Sinner 2-6 5-3 Alcaraz* <\/strong>Serving to stay in the set, Alcaraz nets a forehand, but a booming T-serve makes 15-all; an ace out wide follows behind. Next comes a service-winner then after an error, then another service-winner. Alcaraz has lost just 10 points on his serve all match; the problem he has is that four were in the same game, which is why Sinner will now serve for a set apiece.<\/p>\n

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*Sinner 2-6 5-2 Alcaraz <\/strong>Oh! Sinner frames one for 0-15, but Alcaraz then goes long on the backhand to end a rally of rare brutality, remonstrating with himself thereafter. He does, though, make 15-30 when the champ strays long, only to net when readying himself to unleash. From there, he closes out, and there are two differences in this set: Sinner\u2019s second serve is much improved, while Alcaraz\u2019s forehand isn\u2019t as hot.<\/p>\n

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Sinner 2-6 4-2 Alcaraz* <\/strong>There\u2019s something profoundly moving about two young people captivating the world with their brilliance; in the sense that by watching them, we\u2019re participating in art and history at the same time. At 15-0, Alcaraz pats a volley wide, but he then tickles a beauty over the net for 30-15; Spike Lee loves it, and there\u2019s little greater praise than that. From there, the game is quickly closed out, and might we be reaching the surprisingly elusive stage of both players playing well at the same time?<\/p>\n

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*Sinner 2-6 4-1 Alcaraz <\/strong>Sinner opens the game with a double, but at 40-15 thuds a forehand into the net and faces stress. But he knew if he kept calm, he\u2019d warm as Alcaraz cooled and that\u2019s exactly what\u2019s happening: to secure the game, he bangs away from the back, and there\u2019s been a change in his body language over the last 15 minutes or so.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt 1-1 in the second,\u201d returns wa Bryan.<\/p>\n

<\/span> Photograph: Bryan Armen GrahamShare<\/p>\n

Updated at\u00a015.56 EDT<\/p>\n

Sinner 2-6 3-1 Alcaraz* <\/strong>Alcaraz misses a forehand for 0-15, something for Sinner to build on \u2026 and he does, monstering a forehand return, laying a drop, and cleaning up at net. He raises his arm, a signal that he feels part of this match now, then Alcaraz goes long on the backhand and the champ has his first break points of the match! And he only needs one, a forehand to feet reversing momentum in the rally before a forehand pass seals the deal! It is scientifically, biologically impossible for these two not to deliver us a classic.<\/p>\n

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*Sinner 2-6 2-1 Alcaraz <\/strong>A backhand slice then a backhand down the line help Alcaraz make 0-15, but he\u2019s then outhit from the back for 15-all. An ace out wide follows, then a wrong-footing forehand, and is Sinner growing into this? He holds comfortably, and it feels like we\u2019re building to the match\u2019s next juncture-point.<\/p>\n

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Sinner 2-6 1-1 Alcaraz* <\/strong>Thirteen service-points in a row for Alcaraz, who holds to love. Sinner is hanging in there, hoping his level drops.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are still significant queues of spectators waiting to get inside Ashe, returns wor Bryan. The get-in-the-door price for a single ticket on the resale market today was about $600.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a015.37 EDT<\/p>\n

*Sinner 2-6 1-0 Alcaraz <\/strong>\u201cA lot of boos,\u201d reports Laura Robson on the crowd reaction to a shot of Trump. Meantime, Sinner seeks to get himself going but at 30-15, a netted forehand is followed by a double, and Alcaraz will be inhaling the deep stench of opportunity. All the more so when a cunning forehand switches momentum in the next rally, and at 30-40, Sinner must find something because if he doesn\u2019t the match might just disappear before he\u2019s participated in it. And he does, a brave second serve helping him to deuce before a crucial hold is secured.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if I\u2019ve ever felt so ambivalent about watching a sporting event before, writes Jonathan Gresty. \u201cHere we have two young wizards performing near miracles of dexterity and acrobatics and in their presence is pretty much the biggest lump of odiousness in the free world wearing his horrible suit (and equally horrible tie) basically being enabled by the whole sporting community to lord it over us all by sitting there in all his bloated pomp and vanity.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a state of affairs, isn\u2019t it. Sport is, I\u2019m afraid a victim of its own success, so brilliant that the worst people in the world are eager to co-opt it, though the supine submission of its leaders \u2013 not restricted to tennis or to today \u2013 is an unnecessary blight on our civilisation.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a015.39 EDT<\/p>\n

Carlos Alcaraz takes the first set against Jannik Sinner 6-2<\/h2>\n

*Sinner 2-6 Alcaraz <\/strong>More forehand wizardry makes 30-0, then Alcaraz comes in and spreads, almost like he\u2019s offering Sinner out; the attempted pass hits the net. And from there, an unreturned serve secures a domineering 6-2 set; it\u2019s not humanly possible to play much better than that.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s the better tennis player,\u201d is Coach Calv\u2019s summation of what we\u2019ve seen so far. \u201cHas more of everything other than straight-line power.\u201d<\/p>\n

And he\u2019s plenty of that \u2013 especially today. His forehand has been immaculate, his use of it so intelligent.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz reacts after a point against Italy’s Jannik Sinner.<\/span> Photograph: Charly Triballeau\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/p>\n

Updated at\u00a016.03 EDT<\/p>\n

*Sinner 2-5 Alcaraz <\/strong>Goodness, at 15-all, Alcaraz stops in the point, digging out a fine pass on the stretch from behind his arse. But when the ball sits up, you expect Sinner to stick it away, only he swats wide and again, is under pressure \u2026 all the more so when Alcaraz ups pace on the forehand, flat and close to the baseline. At 15-40, he has two break, almost set points, and a second serve at which he can go. Unusually, he tamely flaps into the net but, when Sinner comes it his attempted pass is there for the putaway volley \u2026 but the champ nets! He\u2019s not at it here, and after change of ends, Alcaraz will serve for a dominant first set, his forehand controlling the match.<\/p>\n

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Sinner 2-4 Alcaraz* <\/strong>Alcaraz is so burly, but his hands are so deft; what a combination. And at 30-0, with Sinner well in the point, he shows us the same again, a forehand spinning cross-court into the corner; a service-winner follows. Sometimes, he looks a little lost in the supermarket, slightly unsure what to choose given the multitude of options, but so far today he\u2019s in perfect control of himself.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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*Sinner 2-3 Alcaraz <\/strong>At 0-15, Alcaraz comes in, contorts, and takes a volley off his tootsies for a clean winner, racket pointed down, Edberg-style, to break the sideline; that is beautiful. Sinner responds with a big serve, then punishes a forehand to the corner to restore parity, and from there he secures his hold. He\u2019s second-best for now, but he\u2019s still playing pretty well.<\/p>\n

I was thinking of Rybakina as well,\u201d says Cynthia Meredith, \u201cbut you make a valid point about her consistency. I\u2019d also add 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva based on her talent level and commitment to improving her game, but if you\u2019re literally speaking of slam wins in the next few years, Andreeva might still be a bit young.\u201d<\/p>\n

I agree. I love Andreeva \u2013 not just her talent but her attitude \u2013 and take very seriously the opinion of Conchita Martinez, her coach, who thinks she\u2019s ready. But I can\u2019t see that it\u2019s imminent, though I can see her beating the top players at majors.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a015.16 EDT<\/p>\n

Sinner 1-3 Alcaraz* <\/strong>Alcaraz has started this match like a demon and already, every point is an occasion, a story in and of itself. And the first of his service-game is seized by Sinner, nailing a return, approaching, and putting away the overhead. The standard is absolutely stratospheric, even more so than in their previous finals \u2013 it feels like both men are now settled into their status, able to relax into their natural selves from the off. Alcaraz makes 40-15 but then Sinner sends him to the corner, slides into a volley, and gives himself a sniff. But when the drop comes next point, his lob sails long, and that\u2019s another hold secured.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in action against Jannik Sinner of Italy.<\/span> Photograph: John G Mabanglo\/EPAShare<\/p>\n

Updated at\u00a015.15 EDT<\/p>\n

*Sinner 1-2 Alcaraz <\/strong>At 30-15, Sinner goes hard at the Alcaraz forehand; the Spaniard defends well, adding a bit of loop to take pace off, then ups it when he\u2019s ready and again, the champ must serve with a bit of pressure. This time, though, he closes out well enough though, at 40-30, he\u2019ll have swallowed his gizzard when a forehand pass burned by him at the net; it fell long, and the champ is on the board.<\/p>\n

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Sinner 0-2 Alcaraz* <\/strong>A much quicker game, Alcaraz holding to 15 and, in the process, unfurling a wrong-footing forehand to reach 40, then confirming the consolidation with a beautiful drop.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s crazy out here,\u201d advises our man on the ground, Bryan Armen Graham.<\/p>\n

L\u2019\u00e9tat c\u2019est lui.<\/p>\n

<\/span> Photograph: Bryan Armen Graham<\/span> Photograph: Bryan Armen Graham<\/span> Photograph: Bryan Armen GrahamShare<\/p>\n

Updated at\u00a015.09 EDT<\/p>\n

*Sinner 0-1 Alcaraz (*denotes server) <\/strong>We\u2019ve been waiting a while \u2013 since the Wimbledon final finished, really \u2013 but we\u2019re good to go now, and Sinner races to 30-0. But Alcaraz then hooks a terrific forehand on to the line, not a winner but enough to win the point, then a backhand swatted wide gives him 30-all. A bit of pressure for Sinner and when offered a second serve, Alcaraz doesn\u2019t need asking twice, a flat, fast return too good. So, break-point down, Sinner of course ups pace on delivery \u2013 the stones that takes \u2013 makes deuce then, after 13 shots of corner-to-corner jousting, advantage. These two are so well matched it\u2019s ridiculous \u2013 like they\u2019ve been intelligently designed to bestow upon us the greatest tennis there is \u2013 and when Sinner overhits a backhand down the line, we\u2019re back to deuce, the first game threatening to become an epic, never mind the contest itself. And have a look! Sinner reclaims the ad via ace, then Alcaraz unleashes on forehand, annihilating from well behind the baseline until his opponent can\u2019t take any more. Already, this is affirming, exhilarating stuff, and when Sinner nets a forehand he must face a second break point. Ooooh, and we see Alcaraz\u2019s backhand slice for the first time, zoning low over the net and dipping; the champ can\u2019t respond, and that\u2019s that break! It feels absurd to rhapsodise a mere game, but what else can we do? These lads together are the truth.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a014.58 EDT<\/p>\n

Righto, Alcaraz won the toss and opted to receive.<\/strong> Ready \u2026 play.<\/p>\n

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There are so many people still outside, unable to use the tickets for which they\u2019ve paid.<\/strong> It\u2019s a complete disgrace, and Martina is the only pundit with the minerals and conscience to say so.<\/p>\n

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\u201cGotta wonder if a lot of people attending who wouldn\u2019t have booed before will now after being stuck in that line instead of the seats they paid a lot for,\u201d<\/strong> wonders Zach Neeley.<\/p>\n

And what a damning indictment of our world that\u2019d be.<\/p>\n

<\/span>A half empty Arthur Ashe stadium.<\/span> Photograph: Ishika Samant\/Getty Images<\/span>US President Donald Trump salutes the national anthem.<\/span> Photograph: Mandel Ngan\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/p>\n

Updated at\u00a014.51 EDT<\/p>\n

Alcaraz looks properly dialled-in. <\/strong>I wonder if that\u2019s to his advantage, or if he plays better when feeling freer and this is the pressure getting big on him.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019d say Rybakina is in the mix, maybe Paolini,\u201d<\/strong> emails Mark Tran responding to my point about women\u2019s tennis. \u201cEnjoy the show. I\u2019ll be relying on your commentary as I haven\u2019t got TV coverage. I wonder if Sinner can endure physically if it goes to five.\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019d be surprised \u2013 but delighted \u2013 if Paolini wins one. Rybakina is a maybe, as she can beat anyone, but I\u2019m not sure she can win enough big matches consecutively unless her consistency improves.<\/p>\n

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Here come our players, Alcaraz in pink and mauve, Sinner in all rust. <\/strong>I\u2019ve not a clue why.<\/p>\n

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\u201cCurrent state of affairs outside,\u201d returns oor Bryan.<\/strong> \u201cUSTA should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/span> Photograph: Bryan Armen GrahamShare<\/span> Photograph: GoogleShare<\/p>\n

The arena is half-empty<\/strong>, but it\u2019s anthem time.<\/p>\n

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I said this earlier in the competition,<\/strong> but Alcaraz looks like he should be in the keep-fit class at the start of Back to the Future \u2013 or maybe he\u2019s off to the Shore once this is done.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Alcaraz in his semi, in US Open outfit<\/span> Photograph: Javier Garc\u00eda\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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Alcaraz is stretching, headphones on; Sinner is chasing a teammate around bikes in the gym, chucking a ball about.<\/strong> They\u2019re learning from each other, but also, Sinner is probably more relaxed: he can afford to lose this but Alcaraz really must win, and for all the amiable bonhomie, he remains a killer.<\/p>\n

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Credit where it\u2019s due:<\/strong> Ryan Harrison has been a tremendous addition to the Sky commentary team. For a long time, tennis has lagged behind other sports in terms of in-depth analysis, but the BBC improved this Wimbledon with more detailed breakdowns from Todd Woodbridge, and Harrison is doing the same. It\u2019s great to see.<\/p>\n

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\u201cFor the final to be postponed because of this is insane,\u201d advises Martina.<\/strong> Well said, Legend.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, there\u2019ll be plenty of people here for the tennis and who\u2019ve paid for their ticket who\u2019ll miss the start, in order to accommodate someone who isn\u2019t and who hasn\u2019t. It is, I\u2019m afraid, a complete nonsense.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a014.17 EDT<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing into this final,\u201d begins Gavriella Epstein-Lightman<\/strong>, \u201cAlcaraz and Sinner\u2019s roles are reversed. It is Alcaraz who has been ruthlessly efficient, not dropping a set, whereas Sinner has dropped two sets.<\/p>\n

Alcaraz has also been serving better than Sinner this tournament, getting 7% more first serves in than Sinner, with 5% more unreturned serves.<\/p>\n

This is in contrast to the situation before the Roland Garros final this year: Alcaraz had dropped four sets whilst Sinner had largely eased through, unflappable as per usual. We know how that final went.<\/p>\n

So how far is recent form in the tournament a predictor of performance in the final?\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019d say both have played so well it\u2019s hard to look at their route to this point and find anything telling other than Sinner\u2019s stomach knack \u2013 if it\u2019s still bothering him. It\u2019s also worth noting that he was bothered by Bublik recently, but when they met round three, he binned him 1, 1 and 1. As Calv said below, this match will probably be decided by which of the two play better, not any tactical tweak, and both are in such good nick we can\u2019t possibly predict which it\u2019ll be.<\/p>\n

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The queues outside are colossal;<\/strong> our players are scheduled to walk out at 37 minutes past the hour, but I\u2019d not be surprised if that\u2019s pushed back again. Still, in return we get to see the continuing theft of democracy in real time, so.<\/p>\n

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With men\u2019s tennis settled into a pattern, there\u2019s an interesting contrast to be found in the women\u2019s game.<\/strong> For the last decade and a bit, it\u2019s been the least predictable sport in the world, all manner of random winning majors, but it now feels like we\u2019re on the verge of a new era: Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova and Naomi Osaka \u2013 maybe Karolina Muchov\u00e1 too, if she stays fit \u2013 appear to be settling at the top. You never know, but I\u2019d suggest it\u2019ll be a while before anyone but them wins a slam, and if the latter three names can get in amongst it, we might soon be talking about one of the great eras.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a014.12 EDT<\/p>\n

One of the many things I love about the Sincaraz rivalry<\/strong> is what sound lads they clearly are and, from which flows, how well they get on with each other. I can\u2019t lie, I tend to like a bit of needle in my sport \u2013 I found, for example, Klopp-Guardiola a bit bloodless for my taste.<\/p>\n

But when these two get together it feels like a celebration of what\u2019s best about humanity, so the two of them being both mates and menschen fits beautifully. And, let\u2019s be real, we need that example and inspiration more than ever.<\/p>\n

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More from Bryan.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/span> Photograph: Bryan Armen GrahamShareBryan Armen Graham<\/span><\/p>\n

An hour before Sunday\u2019s US Open men\u2019s final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the boardwalk from the Mets-Willets Point subway to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center was quiet, punctuated only by bursts of fans spilling out of the No 7 train every few minutes.<\/p>\n

Among them stood Emma Kaplan, a 33-year-old executive assistant from Brooklyn, distributing flyers that read \u201cThe Fall of the Trump Fascist Regime.\u201d She was joined by three members of RefuseFascism.org, one hoisting a poster that declared \u201cGAME, SET, MATCH! NOV 5, FLOOD DC. TRUMP MUST GO!\u201d; another\u2019s sign demanded the shutdown of ICE and \u201cthe whole Trump fascist regime.\u201d<\/p>\n

As waves of spectators streamed past, a heavy security presence shadowed the scene \u2013 NYPD, Parks Department officers, Homeland Security agents and the Secret Service. Some fans nodded quietly in approval. Others made their opposition clear.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh my bad, I voted for him,\u201d one man muttered.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaga! Make America great again!\u201d shouted another, a 22-year-old from Long Island who said he would happily back Trump again.<\/p>\n

Kaplan brushed off the jeers.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrump has historically been booed here,\u201d she told me. \u201cHe should be booed everywhere he goes. And on November 5 we\u2019re calling for millions of people to come to Washington DC. They might try to silence our boos, but they can\u2019t silence our rage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked what she\u2019d say directly to Trump, Kaplan didn\u2019t hesitate: \u201cGet the hell out of Chicago. Stay out of New York, get out of LA and get out of the fucking White House.\u201d<\/p>\n

So far, she said, reactions had been mixed. \u201cWe just got out here \u2026 our audience really is everybody who hates Trump, [for them] to not be silent right now.\u201d She added that she felt safe and had not been approached by security.<\/p>\n

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There they are, the lads <\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/span> Photograph: Adela Loconte\/Variety\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

The collab we didn\u2019t know we needed:<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery breath you take, every move you make.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t me.\u201d<\/p>\n

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On account of Trump’s attendance, our start is delayed until 7.30pm BST<\/h2>\n

In an entirely normal turn of events, broadcasters have been told to censor any protests or negative reactions.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a014.11 EDT<\/p>\n

There\u2019s are major queues outside Arthur Ashe, <\/strong>as Donald Trump is taking a break from golf to take in a bit of tennis and there\u2019s more security than usual. Demagogues do sure love themselves some sport.<\/p>\n

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The only thing individual sport loves more than a dominant champion is a dominant rivalry.<\/strong> If Sinner wins here, though, we\u2019ll be forced to wonder if, though Alcaraz is going away from the pack, he\u2019s going away from Alcaraz.<\/p>\n

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On the same topic, here\u2019s Calvin Betton, our resident coach.<\/strong> \u201cNothing at all to add really since Wimbledon. Same stuff. They\u2019ll both blast away, whoever plays better will win. One of them will try a drop shot or a serve and volley and people will get excited that it\u2019s a tactical move. It\u2019s not.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Where is the match? <\/strong>On a hard court, if Sinner can get on top of the bounce, he\u2019s hard to stop because his groundstrokes are so reliable and so true. He has, though, had trouble against players who unleash on the forehand \u2013 Dimitrov, Bublik \u2013 but are canny on the back, their slicing forcing him to dig out responses.<\/p>\n

Sinner, meanwhile, will look to put Alcaraz under constant pressure, standing on the baseline while cramping him for room and time. If his second serve is firing, it\u2019ll take something serious to deny him.<\/p>\n

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Also going on:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Preamble<\/h2>\n

Yes yes y\u2019all, and welcome to the US Open 2025 \u2013 day 15!<\/p>\n

It feels like we\u2019ve been here before, doesn\u2019t it? For the third grand slam in a row and for the first time ever in an open-era calendar year, the same players meet to decide which of them takes home the big pot, just as we knew they would. We invite sport into our lives because we don\u2019t know what\u2019s going to happen, except in men\u2019s tennis we now know exactly what\u2019s going to happen: Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will beat whoever is put in front of them, handily. There is no sign whatsoever that this will stop being the case anytime in the next decade.<\/p>\n

But though it might feel like we\u2019ve been here before, verily we have not. Each time these two play, they grow, and each time they play each other they\u2019re telling us a new story, a fresh mesh of styles and characters demanding we conceive of them and ourselves differently.<\/p>\n

The pair are easy to characterise. Sinner is even, flowing, and predictable, doing things you can\u2019t believe but can predict: he picks the right shot even if it\u2019s the hardest shot, then executes with style and poise that is perfect. Alcaraz, on the other hand, is capricious, extravagant and visionary, doing things you can neither predict nor believe: technically he is impure but mentally he is unique, conjuring angles and trajectories geometry has yet to discover, perfect because of his imperfections.<\/p>\n

In individual sport, players come and go, so to sustain us, we need them to stand for something, and we will, all of us, have a favourite in the fight: the one who is closer to expressing who we are or, if we\u2019re honest with ourselves, who we\u2019d like to be. The reality, though, is a little more nuanced. Unlike, say, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe, these two aren\u2019t sticking to their given identity partly to spite the other, nor are they, like, say, Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker, continuing to do what they do in the belief that if they do it well, it will be enough. Rather they are studying each other and, more particularly, studying themselves in the light of each other, rethinking and remodelling as they go. So Sinner is now fitter and more daring, while Alcaraz is less impetuous and error-prone; their rivalry is not a series but a serial, with character driving plot not the other way around.<\/p>\n

There\u2019 s a notion that Sinner\u2019s Wimbledon win evidenced him moving clear \u2013 a hard court suits his organised power-game, just as the variable, lower bounce on grass and clay works better for Alcaraz, so if he\u2019s winning on one of his less natural surfaces, he is likely to be impregnable on the one that seems made for him. On the other hand, Alcaraz has developed a new consistency which, when added to his artistic gifts and preternatural timing, means that if he plays close to his best, he\u2019s close to unbeatable.<\/p>\n

Which is to say though previously we knew what was going to happen, presently we\u2019ve not a clue what\u2019s going to happen. It\u2019s time to settle in and find out.<\/p>\n

Play: 2pm local, 7pm BST<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Sinner 2-6 6-3 1-6 3-5 Alcaraz* A(nother) big serve, 15-0; a(nother) big serve backed up by a swing-volley, 30-0. An ace follows, and I\u2019ve never seen Sinner out-hit like this, not even by Alcaraz. He holds to love and, given the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19743,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[1255,1254,82,11886,132,1143,3866,1261,2897,1262],"class_list":{"0":"post-19742","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-alcaraz","9":"tag-carlos","10":"tag-final","11":"tag-jannik","12":"tag-live","13":"tag-mens","14":"tag-open","15":"tag-singles","16":"tag-sinner","17":"tag-tennis"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19742","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19742"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19742\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/19743"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}