Mission achieved

NEW YORK (AFP) — Carlos Alcaraz beat Jannik Sinner in four sets on Sunday to win the US Open and reassert his dominance of an era-defining rivalry in a final delayed by the visit of President Donald Trump.

The 22-year-old Alcaraz won 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to capture his second US Open crown and sixth Grand Slam title, avenging his lone defeat in a major final by Sinner at Wimbledon in July.

"It's a great feeling. I'm working really hard just to lift this trophy. It's my second one but it's still a dream come true," Alcaraz said.

Alcaraz will reclaim the world No. 1 ranking from Sinner, returning to top spot on Monday for the first time since September 2023 after ending the Italian's 27-match winning run at hard-court Grand Slams.

"It was one of the first goals that I had, to recover the No. 1 (ranking)," said Alcaraz, who also defeated Sinner in an epic French Open final in June.

Alcaraz has now won seven of the past eight meetings and is 10-5 overall against Sinner.

"I tried my best today. I couldn't do more," Sinner said. "I felt like he was doing everything slightly better today.”

"He raised his level when he had to... He played better than me today."

Alcaraz and Sinner have shared the last eight Grand Slams on offer, winning four apiece to assert their superiority over the rest of the sport including Novak Djokovic.

But while Sinner is 109-4 against the rest of the tour over the past two seasons, Alcaraz has had his number.

"It's going to be on me if I want to make changes or not," Sinner said.

"That's what I have to do, trying to become a better tennis player."

Sinner's defeat at Flushing Meadowns extends the longest drought without a successful men's title defense of any Grand Slam in the Open era.

No man has retained the US Open crown since Roger Federer won five in a row from 2004 to 2008.

Anticipation for the third straight Grand Slam final between the game's top two players assumed an even greater dimension with the presence of Trump.