Carlos Alcaraz, the 22-year-old Spanish tennis prodigy, reclaimed the world No. 1 ranking and his second US Open title on September 7, 2025, with a commanding 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory over Jannik Sinner in a highly anticipated final at Flushing Meadows. The win, marking Alcaraz’s sixth Grand Slam title, was not just a display of raw talent but the culmination of a meticulously crafted strategy to counter Sinner’s formidable game. In post-match interviews, Alcaraz and his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, offered rare insights into the “secret” preparations that tilted their third Grand Slam final of 2025 in Alcaraz’s favor, ending Sinner’s 65-week reign as world No. 1.
Decoding Sinner’s Game: The Preparation
Alcaraz’s triumph was rooted in two weeks of intensive preparation following his Wimbledon final loss to Sinner in July 2025. Speaking to The Athletic, Alcaraz revealed, “We spent two weeks before Cincinnati just practising some specific things about my game that I felt like I need to improve if I want to beat Jannik.” He and Ferrero dissected their 2025 French Open and Wimbledon finals, identifying patterns in Sinner’s play. “We watch it. We put everything, or we note everything, and we work on it,” Alcaraz said, emphasizing a methodical approach to countering Sinner’s metronomic baseline game and powerful forehand.
Ferrero, a former world No. 1, played a pivotal role, refusing to disclose specifics to avoid tipping off Sinner’s coach, Simone Vagnozzi. “For sure, Simone will hear,” Ferrero quipped to BBC Sport, but he later told The Athletic, “We prepared the match very good, watching some matches and see the specific details we have to play. Carlos did 100%.” The strategy centered on disrupting Sinner’s rhythm, a key factor given Sinner’s 51-1 record against non-Alcaraz opponents over the past 52 weeks, per The Guardian. Alcaraz’s team focused on enhancing his serve—previously a vulnerability—and leveraging his versatile shot-making to make Sinner uncomfortable.
The Serve: A Game-Changing Weapon
A cornerstone of Alcaraz’s strategy was transforming his serve into a weapon. Historically inconsistent, his serve had been a liability, with 24 service games lost during his 2022 US Open run. In 2025, he dropped only three service games across the tournament, a feat surpassed only by Pete Sampras at 1997 Wimbledon since 1991, per The Guardian. Against Sinner, Alcaraz won 84% of first-serve points and fired 10 aces to Sinner’s two, with no double faults compared to Sinner’s four. ESPN noted that Alcaraz’s “ever-improving serve” was crucial, allowing him to dictate points and maintain pressure.
Post-match, Alcaraz credited specific serving drills: “I spent a lot of time on my serve, focusing on placement and power to take time away from Jannik.” His 131mph ace to seal the match underscored this improvement, a moment BBC Sport called “an apt way to finish.” Ferrero added, “Carlos compromised himself to go for the match all the time, tried to put pressure on the rival sooner than Jannik. These guys hit the ball very, very fast, and who hits first takes the advantage.”
Variety as a Weapon: Unsettling Sinner
Alcaraz’s game plan hinged on variety to counter Sinner’s predictability. Sinner admitted post-match to ATP Tour that he felt “very predictable,” lacking drop shots or serve-and-volley tactics, which made him vulnerable against Alcaraz’s dynamic style. Alcaraz unleashed a barrage of slices, drop shots, topspin, and flat shots, constantly changing the ball’s trajectory to disrupt Sinner’s baseline dominance. “I feel I can do everything on court: slices, drop shots, topspin, flat,” Alcaraz told The Athletic, a sentiment echoed by The Guardian, which praised his “deep toolbox of shots” for making Sinner “uncomfortable and unable to find rhythm.”
This variety was evident from the first set, where Alcaraz broke Sinner early with explosive returns and dominated baseline exchanges, winning 6-2 in 37 minutes. Despite Sinner’s second-set fightback, targeting Alcaraz’s backhand to level the match, Alcaraz’s adaptability shone in the third set
