Carlos Alcaraz’s road to glory: The path to US Open crown and World No. 1

Carlos Alcaraz’s latest triumph at Flushing Meadows was as much about consistency as it was about brilliance. The 22-year-old Spaniard surged past a string of challengers, culminating in a four-set victory over world No. 1 Jannik Sinner on Sunday, to reclaim the US Open men’s singles title and return to the top of the PIF ATP Rankings.

Here is how his campaign unfolded:

• 1st round: bt Reilly Opelka (USA) 6-4, 7-5, 6-4
• 2nd round: bt Mattia Bellucci (ITA) 6-1, 6-0, 6-3
• 3rd round: bt Luciano Darderi (ITA x32) 6-2, 6-4, 6-0
• 4th round: bt Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-4
• Quarterfinal: bt Jiri Lehecka (CZE x20) 6-4, 6-2, 6-4
• Semifinal: bt Novak Djokovic (SRB x7) 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2
• Final: bt Jannik Sinner (ITA x1) 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4

A statement win in the final

In Sunday’s championship match, Alcaraz hit twice as many winners as Sinner to complete a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory. It was his second US Open title, and it ended Sinner’s 65-week reign at world No. 1.

Their third straight Grand Slam final lived up to its billing with relentless rallies and net duels, but apart from the second set when Sinner briefly wrested control, Alcaraz dictated the terms throughout. He finished with 42 winners, dropped just nine points on his first serve, and was broken only once in a two-hour, 42-minute masterclass.

Alcaraz’s serving numbers across the tournament were historic: he won 98 of 101 service games, becoming only the second Slam champion since 1991 to drop three or fewer service games en route to the title, after Pete Sampras at Wimbledon in 1994 and 1997.

By lifting his sixth Grand Slam trophy, Alcaraz became the second youngest man in the Open Era to reach that milestone, behind Björn Borg. His return to No. 1 came exactly 22 years after his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero first climbed to the summit after the 2003 US Open.

Rivals and respect

When Jannik Sinner walked off Arthur Ashe Stadium after falling to Alcaraz, more than just a match had ended. His 65-week reign at world No. 1 was over, his 27-match winning streak on hard courts at the majors had snapped, and his bid to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2008 to defend the US Open title had failed.

Yet, true to his temperament, Sinner was gracious in defeat. “First of all, I would like to start with Carlos and the whole team, you’re doing amazing, congrats… it’s a great moment,” he said on court. Later, in his press conference, he offered a candid assessment: “He has improved. I felt like he was a bit cleaner today… I give lots of credit to him, because he handled the situation better than I did. He played better than me today.”

The final marked their fifth clash of the season, their third in a Slam final, and tilted their Lexus ATP Head2Head firmly in Alcaraz’s favour at 10-5.

The champion’s mindset

Alcaraz, who leads the ATP Tour this season with seven titles and 61 match wins, was quick to credit his inner circle. “The hard work you do to make me even better, not only in the professional part, but the personal part as well. Every achievement that I am [making] is thanks to you,” he told his team.

For Sinner, meanwhile, the defeat closed out a remarkable season in which he became the youngest man in the Open Era to reach all four Grand Slam finals, winning two and losing two. He admitted he would need to add unpredictability to his game. “Well, I was very predictable today. Now it’s going to be on me if I want to make changes or not… trying to be a bit more unpredictable as a player, because I think that’s what I have to do, trying to become a better tennis player.”

His composure was intact even as he surrendered the top ranking. “Something new is now I’m not number one anymore, so you know, it also changes a little bit that you chase. It’s different. Then we see,” he reflected.

With this victory, Alcaraz took charge of the race for the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF, opening a 2,590-point lead over Sinner in the Live Race to Turin. Both men have already qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals, but in New York it was Alcaraz who confirmed he is still the man to beat — the champion who climbed back to the summit by conquering every challenge laid in his path.

(With inputs from agencies)