‘Don’t be afraid’ – how ‘faultless’ Alcaraz beat Sinner

Carlos Alcaraz was required to write a message to himself on a piece of paper before the US Open.

Go for it, the Spaniard wrote in a note. Be afraid.

Alcaraz smiled and said, “I think that’s something I did today,” as he was presented the paper after his incredible performance in the final against Jannik Sinner, earning him a sixth Grand Slam title and the world’s number one ranking in the process.

The Alcaraz that showed up in the New York final was a different beast from the one that lost in the Wimbledon showpiece in July.

The 22-year-old said he went back and studied how to defeat Sinner at Wimbledon.

And it worked: He won a second US Open title under the direction of coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Alcaraz remarked, “This is the best tournament I have ever played.”

“I’m really proud of how consistently my level has been throughout the entire tournament.”

Alcaraz thrives when he performs on the biggest stages. He belongs there, and there he has repeatedly gone back in 2025.

He has won six of his eight finals in a row on three different surfaces since April.

Sinner’s winning streak reached 13 matches after winning with Victory. Since May, he has lost just one match, winning against Sinner in the Wimbledon final.

He holds the record for the second-youngest man to have won six major singles titles, behind Bjorn Borg. Before turning 23, he had already won the US Open, Wimbledon, and the French Open twice, becoming the first player to have won multiple Grand Slam titles on all three.

Amazingly, he is only one win away from a Grand Slam for his country.

Few would bet on him and Sinner colliding in the defending champion Melbourne showpiece.

Alcaraz was dominant in New York, but Sinner is largely thought to be the pair’s better hard-court player. Given that he played Sinner and Djokovic, two of the game’s greatest returners, in the final, he only lost one set, which was to Sinner, who was only broken three times in 22 sets.

Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli said on BBC Radio 5 Live that Alcaraz played at a level that no one on the planet can currently achieve.

Alcaraz’s serve served as the foundation of Sinner’s brilliant performance, upholding Sinner’s weaknesses and allowing the Spaniard to play his trademark flamboyant, big-hitting game.

He scored 83% of his points behind Sinner when he faced him and scored 10 aces with no double faults.

After his Australian Open defeat to Djokovic in January, Ferrero said they were “key to all the tournaments,” and that they are now working on Alcaraz’s serve.

Former British number one Tim Henman claimed that Alcaraz was faultless.

On serve, he was playing with power, control, and aggression, hitting his spots.

Alcaraz’s performance is difficult to avoid being drawn in.

He can produce shots that players practice for hours on end. He hit an incredible sliced smash into the tramlines in the final match against Sinner, completely causing the Italian to fall.

In the past, he has been criticized for favoring the glamorous shot over the wise choice. However, he was able to combine both of his game at Flushing Meadows to keep his opponents at bay.

He is growing up, I believe. It’s “the way of life,” Ferrero said.

We’re very clear about what he needs to improve both on and off the court, and I think he’s more mature than we think.

He excels both in terms of his playing style and his openness and friendliness both on and off the court.

He frequently signs autographs after practice ends, and he was pleased to make light of a rather brutal haircut that his brother accidentally gave him during the opening week of the Slam.

Alcaraz claimed that his brother had a mishap with the shears during a trim, leaving him with no choice but to choose a buzz-cut despite appearing shaved.

The celebrations follow.

Alcaraz resembled a golf swing to celebrate each of his US Open victories, playing alongside compatriot Sergio Garcia, who won the 2017 Masters, in New York.

Alcaraz declared his “here to entertain the people, myself, and the team” after the quarter-final.