With Alcaraz and Sinner competing against each other in their third consecutive Grand Slam final, it’s clear that a new era of men’s tennis is dawning. Beyond this rivalry, the tournament has showcased a deep field of talents, rising stars, and unforgettable moments.
The championship, held in Flushing Meadows, New York, was a three week long marathon of ups and downs for several players, competing at the highest level. A record breaking total of over one million fans packed into the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center to spectate their favorite players in an electric atmosphere.
On the men’s side, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner delivered four high quality sets(6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4) which ended with the Spaniard clinching victory. This victory marked Carlos’s second US Open title and his sixth Grand Slam. This made him the youngest man, after Bjorn Borg, to win six Grand Slams, and an additional achievement is that he was able to reclaim his world number one ranking. On the other hand, Sinner demonstrated his consistency as the former world number one reaching five consecutive Grand Slam finals. Another aspect that is consistent is his health issues. Sinner was forced to retire in the final of Cincinnati after being ill the previous day and also mentioned that he had stomach issues in the semi-finals with Felix Auger-Aliassime. The men’s side was anticipated, but the women’s final was completely unexpected.
Aryna Sabalenka got her 100th Grand Slam Win after defending the US Open title and maintaining the number one ranking. Anisimova, on the other hand, reached her second Grand Slam Final, and avenged her crushing defeat to Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon Final just two months before. After defeating the Polish player, Anismova had to face off against Naomi Osaka. After a grueling 2 hours and 56 minutes, Anismova clutched victory and rose to the number 4 player in the world. However, aside from these Grand Slam finalists, there were several other players that were playing their best tennis, but couldn’t break through to the final rounds.
Some men players that didn’t get the results they wanted were Ben Shelton, Jack Draper, Alexander Zverev, and Novak Djokovic as mos of these top ten players were expected to perform better, but couldn’t outlast the tough competition. Draper and Shelton weren’t defeated by their opponents, but rather by injury. For Shelton, it was very unfortunate that the American had to retire in the third round but once his shoulder pain is alleviated and he recovers, he will be back on tour with his massive serve. Draper suffered a similar fate and was unable to play the second round due to excruciating left arm pain. Zverev, on the other hand, hasn’t been able to replicate what he did in the Australian Open, reaching the final. In Wimbledon and now the US Open, the German had relatively early exits despite being the world number three. He ended up losing to the Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime who ended up reaching the semifinals. However, the German is determined to bounce back and have a more consistent and impressive season next year. Novak Djokovic, is facing mental issues, despite reaching the semi-finals of every Grand Slam this year or better. He explains to the press that he cannot keep up with Sinner and Alcaraz at his age. In 3 of the 4 majors he fell to them, and even though he is arguably the greatest player of all time, he simply does not know how to beat these young talents.
On the women’s side, Mirra Andreeva and Madison Keys, the fifth and sixth seed respectively, both lost before the fourth round, which were massive upsets. Andreeva was coming back from an ankle injury which didn’t slow her down in the first two rounds but could have been an issue when playing against the American Taylor Townsend, who has a very aggressive playstyle, demanding quick and agile movement from her opponents. It seems to be a curse on Andreeva as the Russian has never competed in the second week in Flushing Meadows. Nevertheless, greatness will pursue the young talent as she is still a teenager. However, her more experienced counterpart, faced a different challenge. The American faced off against Renata Zarazúa and was defeated in a three hour battle. According to Tennis.com, she made 89 unforced errors, highlighting how the nerves got the better of the American in this match. Overall, she has had a great season, winning the Australian Open, earning over 4 million dollars in prize money from 2025 alone.
The 2025 US Open showed once again why it’s one of the most exciting tournaments in tennis. With Alcaraz and Sinner battling it out for the top spot and Sabalenka and Anisimova shaking up the women’s draw, the tournament was full of memorable moments. Some big names fell early, while others stepped up and converted their opportunities. As a new year starts, players will regroup and continue to improve, and fans cannot wait to see what will unfold in the seasons ahead.
