The duels between Spaniard Alcaraz and Italian Sinner dominated men's tennis in 2025. In three of the four Grand Slam finals, they stood on opposite sides of the net and offered outstanding entertainment.
Alcaraz won at Roland Garros in Paris, Sinner took revenge at Wimbledon. After the giants' third meeting, the Spaniard left New York as the winner and world number one. The audience and TV viewers are missing out on a similar treat this time.
Here is a guide to the final Grand Slam of the year.
Where: Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York
When: August 30–September 13.
TV: HBO Max.
+ Is Alcaraz ready?
The wrist injury kept him out of both Paris and London, and the planned return in Toronto and Cincinnati did not happen. Is the Spaniard up for the challenges that await after the four-month injury break? Second-seeded Alcaraz opens against Russian Roman Safiullin.
+ Sinner's heavy rebuff
In Alcaraz's absence, the Italian won Wimbledon this summer. But just in time for the Spaniard's announced return, Sinner was forced to withdraw. Trouble with his right knee put an end to it.
"I have realised that I need more time to recover from my knee injury. I am obviously very sad and disappointed, considering that New York has a special place in my heart," he wrote on social media.
+ They are also missing
Brazilian Joao Fonseca, 20, eliminated both Novak Djokovic and Casper Ruud on his way to the quarter-finals in Paris. Now he is sidelined by a stomach muscle injury. Neither Briton Jack Draper nor Dane Holger Rune will play.
+ Was admitted – finally
Stan Wawrinka, 41, is playing his final season. The Swiss, who won the tournament in 2016, was initially denied a wildcard and a final Grand Slam appearance.
“It really hurts,” said Magnus Norman, Wawrinka's longtime coach, on social media.
But the organiser changed his mind and Wawrinka will have to say a final goodbye in New York.
+ The legend doesn't give up
Venus Williams may be 46 years old, but the American is not giving up. She enters the women's singles via a wildcard. Williams also played the US Open, which she won in 2000 and 2001, last year. Then there was only one match.
Sister Serena Williams is content to play doubles and declined to play singles. A bit of a shame. A yes would have meant a meeting with Venus in the first round.
+ Question marks surrounding the world number one
Aryna Sabalenka, 28, enters the tournament as the defending champion, but how is her form? The Belarusian has had a tough year. She recently crashed out of the WTA tournament in Cincinnati in the fourth round. Meanwhile, world number two, Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina, is struggling with injury problems.
+ Record prize money
The winners of the year's final Grand Slam tournament will receive a prize cheque of a record 52 million kronor. Players who are eliminated in the first round will also receive a handsome sum of 1.3 million kronor. This year's prize money is 20 percent higher than last year and the total pot is just over one billion kronor.
+ Swedish darkness
There was a time when there were a lot of Swedish players on the courts in the first singles round. But that was a while ago. Kajsa Rinaldo Persson and Elias Ymer disappeared in the qualifiers.
