US Open
Five takeaways from the 2025 US Open
The final Grand Slam of the season has come to a close with yet another action-packed US Open Championships in New York. We take a look back at five of the biggest takeaways after this year’s tournament.
Alcaraz gets the better of Sinner in Grand Slam trilogy
The Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner rivalry has already cemented itself as one of the greatest in the history of the sport despite them only being 22 and 24-year-old respectively.
The US Open was the third consecutive Grand Slam final between the duo and the decisive chapter in their 2025 trilogy having won one apiece in Paris and London.
With the world No.1 spot on the line, it was the Spaniard who clinched his 10th career win over the Italian, coming through 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.
It was an almost flawless performance from Alcaraz, who hit 42 winners to Sinner’s 21 and won 84% points (46/55) on his first serve to seal a sixth Grand Slam title and second at Flushing Meadows.
Alcaraz is the youngest player in history to win two Grand Slam titles on hard, grass and clay courts and only the third to ever do so after Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Mats Wilander. He’s the second youngest player to lift six majors after Bjorn Borg.
The pair show no sign of slowing down so can anyone else challenge them in 2026?
Brits dominating in men’s doubles
It’s safe to say that Great Britain is the dominant force in men’s doubles right now. In the 2025 season, there has been British representation in all four Grand Slam finals, including titles for Henry Patten at the Australian Open as well as Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash lifting the Wimbledon trophy in July.
At the US Open, former Lexus GB Davis Cup stars Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski were the standout duo – reaching their second Grand Slam final of the season, after another strong performance at Roland Garros.
After an up-and-down start to the season, this new partnership for 2025 has gone from strength-to-strength and the Brits have made the final or semi-final of every tournament since Wimbledon – including two ATP Masters in Toronto and Cincinnati.
The duo recorded an impressive three-set win over Yuri Bhambri and Michael Venus in the US Open semi-finals, but facing their rivals from the French Open final – Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos – they missed out on three championship points to lose the final 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-5.
Leaving New York there are now five British players ranked in the ATP Doubles top 11, and three of the eight pairs currently set for November’s Nitto ATP Finals include Brits.
Future is bright for British juniors
The US Open was yet another showcase of the emerging talents in British tennis. Much like the men’s doubles, British players have shone on the biggest stages this season, with a girls’ singles final at Roland Garros for Hannah Klugman, Wimbledon boys’ doubles final for Oliver Bonding and many more high-level victories.
Klugman was also one of the stars of the US Open girls’ singles draw – reaching the semi-finals for the first time, before losing out to Jeline Vandrome of Belgium.
Reigning champion Mika Stojsavljevic showed her quality once again in the girls’ singles draw as well and like Klugman, also made the quarter-finals.
As well as their singles success, both players are also former Wimbledon girls’ doubles finalists and both made their main draw debuts at The Championships this season.
Elsewhere, Bonding made the quarter-final of a junior Grand Slam singles draw for the first time and wheelchair star Ruben Harris reclaimed the junior boys’ doubles title with Maximilian Taucher.
Sabalenka gets her Grand Slam glory
While world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka has been the dominant force in the women’s game this year, one thing eluded her incredible season coming into the US Open – a Grand Slam title.
Sabalenka had lost heart-breaking finals at the Australian Open and Roland Garros to Madison Keys and Coco Gauff, as well as bowing out in the semi-finals of Wimbledon.
The 27-year-old headed to New York aiming to retain her title from last year, but the tough final losses from earlier in the year could have threatened to derail her campaign.
However, the top seed showed exactly why she is currently ranked as the best player in the world – losing just one set on her way to the title.
Sabalenka came back to beat home favourite and fourth seed Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 before defeating another American and Wimbledon runner-up Amanda Anisimova in the final.
"After two finals where I completely lost control of my emotions, I didn't want to let that to happen again," Sabalenka said in an interview with ESPN after the match. "There were some moments where I was close to letting it go, but I kept calm.
"When I fell (to the court), it was because it means a lot to defend this title and to bring such great tennis. I'm super proud right now of myself.”
New-look mixed doubles brings together world’s biggest stars
All the talk in the build up to the US Open this year was around the new changes to the mixed doubles event.
Taking place during the week before the singles and doubles main draws – the new competition format saw the top-ranked singles players from the ATP and WTA Tours join forces alongside several high profile wild card entries for a two-day tournament.
Fans got to see the likes of Emma Raducanu and Alcaraz team up for the first time, as well as Britain’s Jack Draper and Pegula making their way to the semi-final.
There was a record 78,000 spectators in the Arthur Ashe stadium over the two days who also got to see the likes of Ben Shelton, Venus Williams, Iga Swiatek and more.
In the end, it was the reigning mixed doubles champions Sara Errani and Andreas Vavassori who took home the title and the $1 million prize money with a win over Swiatek and Casper Ruud in the final.