NEW YORK — In the latest chapter of their historic rivalry, Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner in the US Open final, a victory largely attributed to the Spaniard’s masterful performance on serve. While their previous encounters have often been defined by their exceptional returning, the 2025 US Open final saw a significant tactical shift, with Alcaraz’s historically good serving and Sinner’s uncharacteristic struggles proving to be the difference-makers.
Alcaraz’s serve was nearly untouchable throughout the tournament. He was broken only three times in the entire event, a feat that ties Pete Sampras’s record from the 1992 US Open. In the final, Alcaraz continued his serving masterclass, firing 10 aces to Sinner’s two. He won an impressive 61% of his first-serve points, allowing the Italian to win only 27% of points on his serve.
Former British star Tim Henman lauded Alcaraz’s performance, stating on Sky Sports, “I have never seen Alcaraz serve like that. Think about the great servers in the game, and I now have to put Alcaraz in that category.” He added that Alcaraz’s ability to hit his spots with such pace and consistency against one of the game’s best returners was “absolutely phenomenal.”
On the other side of the net, Sinner’s serve was not at its usual level. The Italian only managed to get 48% of his first serves in, a number well below his high standards. As a result, his serve lacked the venom needed to set up easy points and winners. Tennis legend John McEnroe commented that this was “the worst serving day he had, Sinner, of all of them,” citing how Sinner gave Alcaraz too many opportunities, particularly after winning the second set.
The stark contrast in their serving performances is highlighted by the break point statistics: Alcaraz faced only one break point the entire match, while Sinner faced 11. This disparity was the defining factor in a match that saw Alcaraz claim his second US Open title and his sixth career Grand Slam, reclaiming the World No. 1 ranking from Sinner. The victory also extended Alcaraz’s lead in their head-to-head rivalry to 10-5, with the Spaniard having now won two of their three consecutive Grand Slam final matchups this season.