Jannik Sinner will meet Carlos Alcaraz for the US Open title After the defending champion survived an injury fear to ward off a tough challenge from Félix Auger-Aliassy in four sets in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The World No. 1 prevailed on Friday evening 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in three hours and 21 minutes, booked a third consecutive Grand Slam final against the Spaniard and underlined a rivalry that the men’s match has already reformed.
The victory only made the fourth man in the open era, after Rod Laver, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, to reach all four the most important finals in one season, and at the age of 24 the youngest to do this. His series of 27 straight victories at the Hardcourt-Majors was the same as Djokovic’s best, with only Federer’s 36 still ahead. He has now reached five consecutive major finals, canceled trophies in Melbourne and in Wimbledon and a point of victory in Roland Garros before Alcaraz turned the match. The No. 1 ranking will also be at stake in the final of Sunday.
“It was a great season,” said Sinner. “The Grand Slams are the most important tournaments and to find me here in a different final, with such a great audience, it is not getting better. It was very difficult tonight, but I am happy that I succeeded in it. Sunday will be very special. Carlos and I know each other so well.”
Sinner looked on course for a routine evening when he broke twice in the opening set and took it 6-1 in 43 minutes, while the Forehand of Auger-Aliass betrayed him. When the Canadian three breakpoints wasted in the second set early, everything seemed in second place, the momentum seemed to continue tilting in the direction of the top seeds. Instead, the competition changed. Auger-Aliassime, 25th sown and his second SLAM Semi-Final Games after reaching the last four here in 2021, caught fire with thumping serving and daring foundations, in which 12 of the last 13 points were torn off. He broke for 5-3 with a sizzling inside-out forehand and sealed the set with successive aces, packed an ashe-mixed at the corners that roared behind the Underdog.
By that time, the Sinner had called for the trainer for treatment on his shoulder and belly, and his first percentage that already floated below 50%, dropped even further. Yet he was stuck. On 3-2 in the third he escaped pressure with a series of aces and then broke the forehand of Auger-Aliases at 2-4 staggered. He concluded the set with a lovehold, which is less familiar with pace than placement and resilience.
The fourth was the best passage of the night, both men who exchanged Hellfire and force each other in lung -busting rallies. At 2-2 the sinner was at three breaking points, but wiped them away with characteristic calmness. In the next game, Auger-Aliass Time staggered again and Sinner hit the line with a forehand that could not chase his opponent to break for 3-2. The Canadian kept fighting, but after more than three hours his legs looked heavy and the sinner never grabbed his grip and closes the match with authority.
The figures told the story: four breaks of 10 chances, nine out of 10 breaking points, 33 winners up to 22 errors. Auger-Aliassime, Die Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev and Alex de Minaur has defeated in a revitalizing two weeks, returns to the Top 20 and leaves New York reminded of his ability to harass the elite. But the consistency of Sinner’s steel weighed heavier than the purple patch of his opponent in the second set.
For Sinner, the result confirmed the inevitability of Sunday’s final. Earlier in the day, Alcaraz Djokovic had dismantled in straight sets to reach his second US Open -final. Together the couple bent the sport to their will: after Sunday they have shared the last eight SLAM titles and 10 of the last 13, laying the foundation for a rivalry that already feels temporarily defining. Alcaraz leads De Graaf five majors to four, and with the No. 1 rank also at stake, their duel on the top can hardly be defined sharply anymore.
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