Jannik Sinner powered past 25th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in Friday’s U.S. Open semi-finals, booking a blockbuster final showdown with Carlos Alcaraz and reigniting one of tennis’ most exciting rivalries.
Alcaraz had already stunned fans by dismantling 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Sinner, usually precise and composed, made a few errors but held his nerve to reach a third consecutive major final against the Spaniard.
The victory puts Sinner in elite company. He becomes only the fourth man in the Open Era, alongside Djokovic, Rod Laver, and Roger Federer, to reach all four Grand Slam finals in a single season.
“Amazing season. The Grand Slams are the most important tournaments we have, and finding myself again in another final, especially the last one this season, with an amazing crowd. it doesn’t get any better,” Sinner said.
He praised Auger-Aliassime’s performance, recalling their recent meeting in Cincinnati. “Felix was serving much better, hitting every shot much better, so it was a tough match. I’m obviously very happy. I saw he was injured at some point, so hopefully it’s nothing bad. I wish him only the best. He’s an amazing player and an amazing person, so it’s always nice to share matches with him.”
Sinner faced brief resistance early in the match but quickly took control, dominating the first set when Auger-Aliassime hit a backhand wide. The Canadian settled into the contest in the second set, breaking for a 5-3 lead to level the match. But Sinner regained momentum in the third, closing it out despite a strong fight from Auger-Aliassime.
During the match, Sinner took a medical timeout for a stomach issue. He told reporters he felt twitching while serving at 4-3 in the second set but reassured fans it wasn’t serious. “After the treatment, I was feeling much better. At some point I didn’t feel anything anymore. I was serving back at normal pace, so it was all good. Nothing to worry about.”
Sunday’s final promises fireworks as Sinner faces second seed Alcaraz. The pair have a recent history: Alcaraz saved three match points to win the French Open final in June before surrendering his Wimbledon crown to Sinner in July. Their rivalry dates back three years to a thrilling New York quarter-final, which Alcaraz won before lifting the trophy.
“We’re two different players now, with different confidence too, so let’s see what’s coming. We’ve played quite a lot this year so we know each other very well. It’s been an amazing tournament, an amazing feeling to play in front of you. I’m looking forward to doing it again,” Sinner said.
