Carlos Alcaraz returns to the top of the ATP ranking after crushing Jannik Sinner at the US Open final, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. Alcaraz was World No. 1 for the last time in September 2023, where he lost the title to Djokovic. Then, Jannik Sinner came, and the Italian seemed unstoppable, 65 weeks at the top of the ranking. Only Alcaraz seemed strong enough to stop it.
After the dominant Wimbledon final, and the close defeat at Roland Garros (five sets in tie-break), one would say Sinner was favourite in New York. But the Italian made a lot of unusual mistakes, and Alcaraz did not forgive them. Only in the second set Sinner took the lead, but the superiority of the Spaniard has been unquestionable: double the winners, 10 aces vs. 2, 4 double faults for Sinner vs. 0 for Alcaraz, who broke Sinner's serve five times.
This is the sixth Grand Slam for Alcaraz, who is still only 22. It was in 2022 when he won his first US Open and major title, becoming the youngest World No. 1 of all time. He has won two Wimbledon titles and two Roland Garros titles.
It's clear that Alcaraz and Sinner will carry the next great rivalry in tennis, but if things looked much better for the Italian one month ago, it is now Alcaraz who improves their head to head to 10-5, while adding a sixth major vs. Sinner's (who is two years older) four titles.