US Open finals escalate as Sinner and Alcaraz prepare for their highly anticipated third act
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are set to face each other once more in the US Open final, inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Spaniard, who is the first man in a decade to reach the US Open final without dropping a set, is aiming to defend his title and become the first man since Roger Federer in 2008 to successfully defend the US Open crown.
Alcaraz, who eclipsed Lleyton Hewitt's record as the youngest world number one at the age of 19, has had a dominant fortnight, ending Novak Djokovic's quest for a record 25th major in the semi-finals. The top seed has won 36 of his last 37 matches, with his only loss coming against Sinner at Wimbledon.
Sinner, the reigning champion, is riding a 27-match winning run on hard courts at the majors. The Italian has had a strong season at Grand Slams, but Alcaraz has largely had the edge over him in recent matches. Alcaraz saved three championship points against Sinner at the French Open, denying him a shot at a rare calendar Slam.
As it was in the 2022 final, the number one ranking will again be on the line in Sunday's match. Alcaraz is through to his seventh Grand Slam final, and he's keen to focus on the game rather than the ranking. "It's a good goal, but we've tried not to focus too much on it in this tournament," said Alcaraz. "I am performing at a high level and sending a message to the people on the circuit that this is my level," he added.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump, the current US president, is preparing to attend the US Open, making him the first sitting president to do so since Bill Clinton in 2000. Trump's last visit to the US Open was in 2015, when he was met with boos from the crowd.
Regardless of the outcome, the US Open final promises to be an exciting spectacle, with two of the best players in the world battling it out for the prestigious title. Alcaraz, who won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open three years ago as a teenager, is determined to make it two in a row. Sinner, on the other hand, will be looking to make history by successfully defending his US Open crown.
