(No. 1) Jannik Sinner def. (No. 25) Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Defending champion Jannik Sinner overcame an injury scare and aggressive play from Felix Auger-Aliassime to reach his second straight US Open final on Friday night.
Sinner was tested more than at any other point during the tournament, fighting off 9 of 10 break points as Auger-Aliassime matched his baseline power with an aggressive game plan that included 31 net approaches. After Sinner dominated the first set, Auger-Aliassime stormed back, dropping just one point on serve in the second to level the match. Sinner, who showed signs of abdominal discomfort and briefly left the court for treatment, regrouped quickly. He broke early in the third set, found his rhythm, and never gave up control.
Although his first-serve percentage dipped to 53%, Sinner conceded just one break point over the final two sets, ultimately closing out the win in just under three hours. The win puts him one step away from becoming the first man since Roger Federer in 2008 to successfully defend the US Open title.
Sinner will face Carlos Alcaraz in the final for the third consecutive major, marking the first time in the Open Era that two players have contested three straight Grand Slam finals in the same season.
(No. 2) Carlos Alcaraz def. (No. 7) Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2
Carlos Alcaraz advances into his seventh Grand Slam final and second at the US Open with a commanding straight-sets win over four-time champion Novak Djokovic on Friday.
Alcaraz showcased his resilience in the second set, rallying from 0-3 down to seize control in the tiebreak. From there, the 22-year-old Spaniard dictated the pace of play, consistently out-hitting Djokovic from the baseline. The Serbian veteran, 38, struggled physically in the third set and was unable to mount a comeback.
Djokovic’s serve proved vulnerable throughout, as he won just 66% of his first-serve points compared to Alcaraz’s dominant 84%. Alcaraz also produced a balanced 31 winners against 30 unforced errors, while Djokovic managed only 15 winners to 30 errors.
With the win, Alcaraz moves into Sunday’s championship match, where he will face World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in yet another marquee showdown. It will be the third consecutive Grand Slam final contested between the two young stars, an unprecedented feat in the Open Era. Alcaraz saved championship points to beat Sinner at Roland Garros, while Sinner struck back at Wimbledon to claim his fourth major. This time, the US Open title and the World No. 1 ranking will be on the line.
