US Open Final LIVE: Carlos Alcaraz beats Jannik Sinner to win his second title at Flushing Meadows; returns to World No. 1 ranking
THE TIMES OF INDIA | Sep 08, 2025, 03:28:19 IST
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US Open Final LIVE: Carlos Alcaraz beats Jannik Sinner to win his second title at Flushing Meadows; returns to World No. 1 ranking

World's top two players Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will face each other in their third consecutive Grand Slam final at the US Open, with President Donald Trump set to attend the match. The event marks Trump's first appearance at Flushing Meadows since 2015 and the first time a sitting president will attend the US Open since Bill Clinton in 2000.

Top-seeded Sinner, the defending champion, aims to become the first player to successfully defend the US Open title since Roger Federer's fifth consecutive win in 2008.

Alcaraz, who claimed his first of five Grand Slam titles in New York three years ago, has reached the final without dropping a set, a feat unseen in a decade.

"A lot of famous people come to the tournament, and we as players are aware of that. It means that tennis is important," said Sinner.

The presidential visit continues Trump's recent appearances at major sporting events, following his attendance at the NFL's Super Bowl in February and the FIFA Club World Cup final in July.

During Trump's last visit to the US Open in 2015, he and wife Melania were met with boos from the crowd. Organisers have reportedly requested broadcasters avoid showing any negative reactions to Trump during Sunday's final.

Enhanced security measures are in place, requiring spectators to pass through an additional checkpoint before entering Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Alcaraz has dominated recent matchups with Sinner, though the Italian is experiencing an exceptional Grand Slam season.

At the French Open, Alcaraz saved three championship points to defeat Sinner, preventing him from pursuing a calendar Slam. Sinner responded by winning their Wimbledon final matchup, adding to his Australian Open victory earlier this year.

"I feel like our rivalry started here playing an amazing match. We are two different players now, with different confidence too. It's great for the sport having rivalries, having hopefully great matches in front of us...He's someone who pushed me to the limit," said the 24-year-old Sinner.

Alcaraz, 22, defeated Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, halting the Serbian's pursuit of a 25th major title. He enters his seventh Grand Slam final leading the head-to-head record against Sinner 9-5, winning six of their last seven encounters.

"Obviously I'm going to take things about the last matches that I've played against him. I'm going to take note, and I will see what I did wrong, what I did great. His matches are really demanding physically that he's able to play at his 100% during two, three, four hours, and I think that's the biggest improvement he has made in the last years," said Alcaraz.

The Spaniard has won 36 of his last 37 matches, with his only defeat coming against Sinner at Wimbledon.

"I am performing at a high level and sending a message to the people on the circuit that this is my level. It is not my maximum level, I still have room to improve, but it is a high level," Alcaraz stated.

The world number one ranking is at stake in Sunday's final, reminiscent of Alcaraz's 2022 final victory over Casper Ruud. Alcaraz previously held the distinction of being the youngest world number one at age 19, but hasn't held the top spot for two years.

"It's a good goal, but we've tried not to focus too much on it in this tournament. It will remind me of the 2022 final, when I was playing for a Slam and the number one spot. It will be like a flashback. But winning a Grand Slam comes before being number one," Alcaraz concluded.
23:46 (IST) Sep 07
US Open Final LIVE: How Sinner vs Alcaraz has gone in 2025
US Open Final LIVE: How Sinner vs Alcaraz has gone in 2025

Carlos Alcaraz has won three of the four matches with Jannik Sinner this season. He's triumphed in Rome, at the French Open in Paris and most recently in Cincinnati when the Italian had to retire due to a bug. Sinner, meanwhile, clinched his first Wimbledon title when he beat Alcaraz.

23:43 (IST) Sep 07
Sinner vs Alcaraz LIVE: Lengthy queues outside Arthur Ashe Stadium
Sinner vs Alcaraz LIVE: Lengthy queues outside Arthur Ashe Stadium

As Carlos Alcaraz continues to limber up, continues to focus on the match at hand, there are massive queues outside the Arthur Ashe Stadium to get inside. This final was supposed to have started by now. Instead, even by the rescheduled time, many won't have gotten inside.

23:35 (IST) Sep 07
Sinner vs Alcaraz LIVE: Donald Trump reaches Arthur Ashe Stadium
Sinner vs Alcaraz LIVE: Donald Trump reaches Arthur Ashe Stadium

The US President Donald Trump is now in attendance for the US Open final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

Before the final, Alcaraz said Trump's visit is a privilege for the sport and "great for tennis," but also suggested that such sentiments went for any head of state.

“I will try not to be focused, and I will try not to think about it,” Alcaraz said of Trump's attendance. “I don’t want myself to be nervous because of it.”

23:29 (IST) Sep 07
Sinner vs Alcaraz LIVE: Donald Trump lands in New York for final
From The Associated Press: "President Donald Trump is attending the U.S. Open on Sunday as a guest of Rolex despite imposing steep tariffs on the Swiss watchmaker's home country and with organizers seeking to keep any audience booing of him from being seen on the TV broadcast."

"As heavy rains began mostly clearing, and throngs of fans arrived for the match, no major street protests against the president could be seen from Arthur Ashe Stadium. Attendees also steered clear of wearing any of the president’s signature “Make America Great Again” caps, though."

"Attending with Trump were White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, special administration envoy Steve Witkoff and Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff."

No protest to be heard on TV. Any negative reaction to Trump won't be audible on ABC's national telecast, clarified the USTA.

“We regularly ask our broadcasters to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions,” the organisation said in a statement.

Trump was once a US Open mainstay, but hasn't attended since he was loudly booed at a quarterfinals match in September 2015, months after launching his first presidential campaign.

This is not Trump's first sporting event presence this year. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump went to the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the Daytona 500, UFC fight nights in Miami and New Jersey, the NCAA Wrestling championships and the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey.

No sitting US President has attended the US Open since Bill Clinton in 2000.
23:15 (IST) Sep 07
Sinner vs Alcaraz LIVE: US Open final has been delayed
The start of the US Open final has been delayed due to the security measures in place with US President Donald Trump to attend the high profile contest.

USTA statement: “As a result of the security measures in place, and to ensure that fans have additional time to get to their seats, we have pushed the start time of today’s match to 2:30 pm ET.”

So the US Open final will not get underway before 12am IST or 7:30pm BST
23:10 (IST) Sep 07
Sinner vs Alcaraz LIVE: Carlos Alcaraz snapshot
Sinner vs Alcaraz LIVE: Carlos Alcaraz snapshot

Rather surprisingly, Carlos Alcaraz has not dropped a set this fortnight in Flushing Meadows. And as a result, he's spent less time on court than Sinner.

23:08 (IST) Sep 07
Sinner vs Alcaraz LIVE: Jannik Sinner snapshot
Sinner vs Alcaraz LIVE: Jannik Sinner snapshot

Jannik Sinner has spent 13 hours and 33 minutes on court and dropped two sets in the process.

23:06 (IST) Sep 07
US Open Final LIVE: Jannik Sinner run to the final
First round: beat Kopriva 6-1, 6-1, 6-2

Second round: beat Popyrin 6-3, 6-2, 6-2

Third round: beat Shapovalov 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3

Fourth round: beat Bublik 6-1, 6-1, 6-1

Quarter-final: beat Musetti 6-1, 6-4, 6-2

Semi-final: beat Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
23:04 (IST) Sep 07
US Open Final LIVE: Carlos Alcaraz run to the final
First round: beat Opelka 6-4, 7-5, 6-4

Second round: beat Bellucci 6-1, 6-0, 6-3

Third round: beat Darderi 6-2, 6-4, 6-0

Fourth round: beat Rinderknech 7-6, 6-3, 6-4

Quarter-final: beat Lehecka 6-4, 6-2, 6-4

Semi-final: beat Djokovic 6-2, 7-6, 6-2
22:52 (IST) Sep 07
Jannik Sinner vs Carlos Alcaraz Live: Duopoly on full display
The winner of Sunday's match will continue their dominance in men's tennis, as it will mark the eighth consecutive major championship captured by either Sinner or Alcaraz.

"We are players who are pretty complete, I'd say. We can change the way we play. He, I think, he does it better in his way. I make my adjustments in my way," Sinner concluded, acknowledging their versatile playing styles.
22:46 (IST) Sep 07
Jannik Sinner vs Carlos Alcaraz LIVE: Alcaraz on facing Sinner
Alcaraz on importance of maintaining his level: "It's something that I'm working on, just the consistency on the matches, on the tournaments, on the year, in general. Just not having up-and-downs in the match. Just the level that I start the match, just wanted to keep that level really high during the whole match," Alcaraz reflected after defeating Novak Djokovic.

"So I'm thinking I'm doing that in this tournament, which I'm really proud about. Probably, I'm just getting mature," Alcaraz added, noting his improvement throughout the tournament.

On facing Sinner: "I will see what I did wrong, what I did great, in the (past) matches, just to approach the final in a good way," Alcaraz stated.
22:46 (IST) Sep 07
US Open Final Live: Sinner vs Alcaraz head-to-head
The head-to-head record between the players shows Alcaraz leading 9-5, with Sinner struggling specifically against the Spaniard despite his overall dominance against other opponents.

Sinner has reached his fifth consecutive Grand Slam final and holds an impressive 33-1 record at majors since winning the U.S. Open last year, with his only loss coming against Alcaraz in Paris.

Since 2024 began, Sinner's record shows a stark contrast: 1-6 against Alcaraz and 109-4 against all other players.

Alcaraz, 22, has been equally impressive, maintaining a 36-1 record since May 2024, with his sole defeat coming against Sinner at Wimbledon.
22:46 (IST) Sep 07
US Open Final LIVE: Donald Trump to attend
US President Donald Trump is due to attend the final at Flushing Meadows in Queens, New York. It will mark the first time a US President will attend the US Open since Bill Clinton in 2000. Trump had also attended the US Open in 2015 but he wasn't President at the time.
22:45 (IST) Sep 07
US Open Final Live: Sinner on rivalry with Alcaraz
Sinner, the 24-year-old Italian, acknowledges the familiarity between their playing styles.

"We are aware of maybe more things, because him or me, we try to prepare the match tactically and in different ways. But sometimes, it's also nice to not play against him," Sinner said, dismissing concerns about an abdominal muscle issue from his semi-final match.
22:45 (IST) Sep 07
US Open FINAL LIVE: Why this match matters more
The match will not only decide who wins the latest salvo in this rivalry but will also determine the World's top ranking. They had met in the final of the French Open and Wimbledon where Alcaraz had won in Paris in a classic while Sinner had clinched the Wimbledon title.
22:45 (IST) Sep 07
US Open FINAL LIVE: Jannik Sinner vs Carlos Alcaraz in men's singles final
Top-seeded Jannik Sinner and second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz are set to face each other in the US Open final on Sunday, marking a historic moment as the first time in tennis history that the same two men will meet in three consecutive Grand Slam finals within one season.
US Open Final Preview: World's top two tennis players Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will face each other in their third consecutive Grand Slam final at the US Open, with President Donald Trump set to attend the match. The event marks Trump's first appearance at Flushing Meadows since 2015 and the first time a sitting president will attend the US Open since Bill Clinton in 2000.

Top-seeded Sinner, the defending champion, aims to become the first player to successfully defend the US Open title since Roger Federer's fifth consecutive win in 2008.

Alcaraz, who claimed his first of five Grand Slam titles in New York three years ago, has reached the final without dropping a set, a feat unseen in a decade.

"A lot of famous people come to the tournament, and we as players are aware of that. It means that tennis is important," said Sinner.

The presidential visit continues Trump's recent appearances at major sporting events, following his attendance at the NFL's Super Bowl in February and the FIFA Club World Cup final in July.

During Trump's last visit to the US Open in 2015, he and wife Melania were met with boos from the crowd. Organisers have reportedly requested broadcasters avoid showing any negative reactions to Trump during Sunday's final.

Enhanced security measures are in place, requiring spectators to pass through an additional checkpoint before entering Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Alcaraz has dominated recent matchups with Sinner, though the Italian is experiencing an exceptional Grand Slam season.

At the French Open, Alcaraz saved three championship points to defeat Sinner, preventing him from pursuing a calendar Slam. Sinner responded by winning their Wimbledon final matchup, adding to his Australian Open victory earlier this year.

"I feel like our rivalry started here playing an amazing match. We are two different players now, with different confidence too. It's great for the sport having rivalries, having hopefully great matches in front of us...He's someone who pushed me to the limit," said the 24-year-old Sinner.

Alcaraz, 22, defeated Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, halting the Serbian's pursuit of a 25th major title. He enters his seventh Grand Slam final leading the head-to-head record against Sinner 9-5, winning six of their last seven encounters.

"Obviously I'm going to take things about the last matches that I've played against him. I'm going to take note, and I will see what I did wrong, what I did great. His matches are really demanding physically that he's able to play at his 100% during two, three, four hours, and I think that's the biggest improvement he has made in the last years," said Alcaraz.

The Spaniard has won 36 of his last 37 matches, with his only defeat coming against Sinner at Wimbledon.

"I am performing at a high level and sending a message to the people on the circuit that this is my level. It is not my maximum level, I still have room to improve, but it is a high level," Alcaraz stated.

The world number one ranking is at stake in Sunday's final, reminiscent of Alcaraz's 2022 final victory over Casper Ruud. Alcaraz previously held the distinction of being the youngest world number one at age 19, but hasn't held the top spot for two years.

"It's a good goal, but we've tried not to focus too much on it in this tournament. It will remind me of the 2022 final, when I was playing for a Slam and the number one spot. It will be like a flashback. But winning a Grand Slam comes before being number one," Alcaraz concluded.