Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-5 in the US Open final on September 1, claiming his fourth Grand Slam title at age 23. The match lasted 4 hours and 12 minutes, the longest US Open final since 2012. Alcaraz converted 5 of 8 break points and hit 47 winners to win his second consecutive Grand Slam after triumphing at Wimbledon in July. "This is the best match I have ever played," Alcaraz said during the trophy ceremony. "Jannik pushed me to my limits. I had to find another gear to win." ## Match Analysis Alcaraz controlled the first set with aggressive baseline play, breaking Sinner twice to take it 6-4. Sinner responded in the second set, using his powerful serve to win 6-3 and level the match. The third set was the most dramatic, with both players holding serve until the tiebreak. Alcaraz saved two set points at 5-6 before winning the tiebreak 7-4. Sinner dominated the fourth set 6-4, setting up a decisive fifth set. "The quality of tennis in that third set was incredible," said former champion John McEnroe, who was commentating for ESPN. "Both players were hitting shots that would have won points against anyone in the world." ## Career Milestones Alcaraz fourth Grand Slam title places him alongside Bjorn Borg and Novak Djokovic as the only men to win four majors before age 24. His win-loss record in Grand Slam finals now stands at 4-1, with his only loss coming at the 2023 Australian Open. The Spaniard has won titles on all three surfaces this year, claiming the French Open on clay, Wimbledon on grass, and the US Open on hard court. He is the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win Grand Slams on three different surfaces in a single season. "Carlos is doing things we have not seen since the Big Three era," said ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi. "He is elevating the sport and attracting new fans worldwide." ## Season and Rankings Alcaraz now holds a 52-6 record for the 2026 season, with titles in Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. His ranking points total of 11,280 gives him a 2,400-point lead over Sinner at the top of the ATP rankings. Sinner, who reached his third Grand Slam final this year, received the runners-up trophy with grace. "Carlos was better today," Sinner said. "I will keep working and come back stronger next season." ## Prize Money and Records Alcaraz earned $3.6 million for the victory, bringing his career Grand Slam prize money total to $28.4 million. The US Open set attendance records for the second consecutive year, with 912,000 fans attending the two-week tournament. Television viewership for the final averaged 4.2 million viewers on ESPN, the highest-rated US Open final since 2015. Social media engagement during the match peaked at 1.8 million posts per hour during the fifth set. The next major championship is the Australian Open in January 2027, where Alcaraz will be the top seed for the first time.