Carlos Alcaraz beats Jannik Sinner to win sixth Grand Slam, reclaims world No. 1 at US Open

Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner in the US Open final to claim his sixth Grand Slam title and reclaim the world number one ranking, producing what coach Juan Carlos Ferrero described as "a perfect performance." The 22-year-old Spaniard extended his winning streak to 13 matches and became the second-youngest man, behind Bjorn Borg, to reach six major singles titles.

Before the tournament began Alcaraz had written a note to himself that read, "Go for it. Don't be afraid," and he said afterwards that he followed that instruction in the final. Alcaraz said the US Open was "the best tournament so far that I have played," adding that "the consistency of my level during the whole tournament has been really high." He credited time spent studying his Wimbledon loss to Sinner in July and working on aspects of his game in the weeks since.

Alcaraz's serve was pivotal in neutralising Sinner's return game and allowing the Spaniard to play an aggressive baseline style. He recorded 10 aces and no double faults in the final, landed 61% of his first serves and won 83% of points behind them. Across the tournament he was broken only three times in 22 sets, despite facing opponents noted for their return ability, including Sinner and Novak Djokovic. Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli told BBC Radio 5 Live that "Alcaraz played at a level that not a single human being on the planet can reach at the moment. He is unplayable at this level."

Ferrero said the team had prioritised Alcaraz's serve after the Australian Open loss to Djokovic in January, calling improved serving "key to all the tournaments." Former British number one Tim Henman described the performance as "absolutely faultless," praising Alcaraz's combination of power, control and aggression, particularly on Sinner's preferred hard court.

Alcaraz has reached eight finals in a row since April across three different surfaces, winning six of them. He has lost only one match since May — the Wimbledon final to Sinner — and arrives in the autumn with sustained momentum. The US Open victory made him the first man to win multiple Grand Slam titles on clay, grass and hard courts before turning 23. He is one title away from completing a career Grand Slam, with the Australian Open the remaining major on his résumé.

On court, Alcaraz combined high-percentage serving with occasional spectacular shot-making, including a noted sliced smash in the final that wrong-footed Sinner. Ferrero said the player was "growing up" and becoming more mature in his decision-making on and off court. Off the court, Alcaraz remained personable and engaged with fans, signing autographs after practice and keeping a light touch in interviews; he joked about a failed home haircut his brother gave him in the first week of the tournament and maintained his post-match ritual of mimicking a golf swing, referencing downtime spent playing with compatriot Sergio Garcia.

Sinner, the defending Australian Open champion and a frequent rival in the biggest finals this year, was viewed by many as the stronger hard-court player going into the match, but Alcaraz dominated the New York final. The Italian won the only set Alcaraz dropped in the final, but could not find a consistent answer to Alcaraz's serving and all-court play.

The victory also brought a return to the top of the ATP rankings for Alcaraz and reinforced his standing as the leading figure in men's tennis this season. He leaves Flushing Meadows with a second US Open title, a sixth major, and an extended list of accomplishments across surfaces that suggest he will be a favourite at the Australian Open and other upcoming events.

Alcaraz ended his remarks by reflecting on the fortnight in New York as a privilege, saying the three weeks at the tournament were something he was proud of. The win adds another chapter to a season that has increasingly been defined by finals between the sport's top young players and by Alcaraz's capacity to lift his level on the game's biggest stages.