Alcaraz claims U.S. Open crown and reclaims world No. 1

In a historic showdown, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz defeated Italy’s Jannik Sinner at the U.S. Open final on Sunday, earning his second Grand Slam title of 2025 and a record $5 million first prize.

The win also allowed the 22-year-old to reclaim the world No. 1 ranking, previously held by Sinner since June 2024.

Alcaraz, who last topped the rankings in September 2023, now has six Grand Slam titles under his belt, with the Australian Open remaining the only major missing from his career Grand Slam pursuit. His U.S. Open triumph pushed his career earnings close to $54.5 million, putting him on the cusp of surpassing Alexander Zverev for fifth place on the all-time earnings list.

Sinner, finishing runner-up, earned $2.5 million, his second-largest payday after winning the Australian Open earlier this year. The Italian now has approximately $48.8 million in career earnings, moving past Daniil Medvedev into seventh place all-time.

Sunday’s match marked a record: Alcaraz and Sinner are the first men’s duo to contest three consecutive Grand Slam finals in a single calendar year, with Alcaraz winning in Paris and New York, and Sinner taking Wimbledon.

The two also dominated ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in 2025, with Alcaraz defeating Sinner at the Italian Open and Cincinnati Open, while Sinner retired from the latter due to illness. Together, they have won nine of the last ten Grand Slam titles dating back to Wimbledon 2023.

In the women’s final, Aryna Sabalenka claimed her second consecutive U.S. Open title, defeating Amanda Anisimova and earning $5 million. The 27-year-old’s career earnings now total $42.3 million, placing her fourth all-time behind Serena and Venus Williams and Iga Świątek, with a chance to climb even higher.

The 2025 U.S. Open has been a tournament defined by milestones and record-breaking performances, with Alcaraz and Sabalenka cementing their places among tennis’s elite.

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