Jannik Sinner booked his place in the US Open final with a determined four-set victory over Félix Auger-Aliassime, setting up a much-anticipated showdown with Carlos Alcaraz for the title and the world No 1 ranking. The Italian prevailed 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 after three hours and 21 minutes of high-intensity tennis under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Sinner, just 24, has now joined Rod Laver, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as the only men in the Open era to reach all four grand slam finals in a single season, and he is the youngest to achieve the feat. His run of 27 straight wins at hard-court majors equals Djokovic’s mark, with only Federer’s 36 ahead. The victory also extends his streak to five consecutive grand slam finals, with titles already collected at the Australian Open and Wimbledon earlier this year.
The match started with Sinner racing through the opening set as Auger-Aliassime’s forehand repeatedly faltered. But the Canadian, seeded 25th, roared back in the second, producing a flurry of aces and bold hitting to level the contest. A brief medical timeout for Sinner raised concerns of an abdominal issue, but he returned with renewed composure.
In the third set, the Italian steadied his serve and punished errors from the Canadian’s racket to regain control. The fourth set saw the highest level of tennis on the night, both players trading fierce rallies that had the New York crowd on edge. Auger-Aliassime missed crucial opportunities early in the set, failing to convert five break points, and Sinner pounced to secure the decisive break before closing out the match with authority.
Sinner’s efficiency told the story: he converted four of ten break points, saved nine of ten on his own serve, and finished with 33 winners to just 22 unforced errors. Auger-Aliassime, who impressed with wins over Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev and Alex de Minaur, will return to the world’s top 20, leaving Flushing Meadows with renewed belief in his ability to challenge the elite.
Now all eyes turn to Sunday’s final, where Sinner will renew his rapidly developing rivalry with Alcaraz. Between them, the two have captured the last eight grand slam titles and 10 of the past 13, already shaping an era-defining duel. With the US Open trophy and the No 1 ranking at stake, their latest battle promises to be one of the defining moments of modern tennis.
