As Carlos Alcaraz wins another US Open, can anyone challenge these Big Two?

NEW YORK -- Carlos Alcaraz threw his arms successful the air, earlier a wide grin dispersed crossed his look and helium crouched down connected his knees. He had conscionable won the 2025 US Open title, successful beforehand of a captivated assemblage of 24,000 connected Arthur Ashe Stadium. But his existent solemnisation could wait.

Before thing else, helium needed to hug and congratulate his hostile Jannik Sinner. The brace -- fiercest of rivals connected the tribunal but genuine friends disconnected of it -- were each smiles and compliments arsenic they met astatine the net. They past walked disconnected the tribunal with their arms wrapped implicit 1 another's shoulders successful a amusement of genuine admiration.

It had been the 3rd consecutive gathering successful a large last betwixt the two, and Sunday's last had been a can't-miss lucifer -- with summons prices successful the thousands and the satellite No. 1 ranking connected the line.

In the end, it had been Alcaraz who earned the amazingly straightforward 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 triumph for his sixth large title.

But nary substance who ended up winning connected Sunday, it was wide going into the lucifer that men's tennis presently has 2 categories: Sinner and Alcaraz, and everyone else.

"I'm seeing you much than my family," Alcaraz joked during the trophy ceremonial arsenic helium looked astatine Sinner.

After handily winning his quarterfinal lucifer connected Tuesday, Novak Djokovic, the 24-time large champion who has spent much weeks astatine No. 1 than anyone successful history, acknowledged it would beryllium hard to bushed Alcaraz successful the semifinals and past would beryllium a situation if helium were to look Sinner successful the final. But helium sounded optimistic.

"We cognize that they are the 2 champion players successful the world," helium told reporters. "Everybody is astir apt expecting and anticipating the finals betwixt the 2 of them. I'm going to effort to, you know, messiness up the plans of astir of the people."

Three days later, Alcaraz defeated Djokovic successful a mostly one-sided affair, 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2, to beforehand to the final. Djokovic's demeanor had notably shifted, and helium sounded dejected, if not resigned to his fate, erstwhile speaking again to the media.

"It volition beryllium precise hard for maine successful the aboriginal to flooded the hurdle of Sinner [and] Alcaraz, successful the best-of-five [in] the Grand Slams," said Djokovic flatly.

Sunday officially marked the archetypal play since 2002 wherever nary subordinate of the Big Three -- Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal -- reached a large final. But it's abundantly wide a caller epoch of dominance is upon us, and the baton has been passed. And portion different players mightiness not person the aforesaid carnal concerns oregon limitations that the 38-year-old Djokovic has successful lengthy matches, the obstacle of the caller Big Two is existent for each subordinate connected tour. After Alcaraz's triumph connected Ashe, the duo has combined to triumph the past 8 majors -- each Slam since the commencement of the 2024 season. And the titles are evenly divided betwixt them, with 4 apiece.

So now, with lone immoderate grade of hyperbole, the question is: Since neither the 22-year-old Alcaraz oregon the 24-year-old Sinner are apt astatine their highest yet, tin immoderate different antheral triumph a large successful the adjacent future?

Two years agone that question mightiness person seemed far-fetched. Ludicrous even. At the extremity of the 2023 season, Alcaraz had 2 large titles to his sanction and Sinner had reached his archetypal Slam semifinal that play but had yet to triumph a title. Both of their talents were clear, and their ceilings were limitless, but neither was precisely a fixed to contend for each title.

Djokovic, connected the different hand, had won 3 of the year's 4 Slam titles and showed nary signs of slowing down. At the year-end ATP Finals, successful which helium won, helium was assured successful his abilities to interruption the all-time large grounds and past immoderate successful 2024.

"Well, you tin triumph 4 Slams and an Olympic gold," said Djokovic erstwhile asked astir his goals for the upcoming season.

Having antecedently spoken during the play astir however overmuch helium liked his "chances successful Grand Slams, against anybody connected immoderate surface, best-of-five," it seemed helium believed those ambitions were much than attainable. Sinner, who Djokovic defeated for the ATP Finals title, called him, "the champion subordinate successful the world."

But helium vowed to larn from the experience.

"I deliberation mostly contiguous I saw that I inactive person to improve, for sure," said Sinner astatine the time. "I judge that helium makes maine a amended player, similar each the different players person done who I mislaid to. I present person to enactment connected this."

Sinner went connected to triumph his large rubric astatine the Australian Open conscionable 2 months aboriginal -- to commencement the 2024 play and to officially unveil the "Sincaraz" epoch of dominance.

In 2025, Alcaraz and Sinner person faced 1 different successful the erstwhile 3 Slam finals. Alcaraz won the French Open successful a melodramatic comeback, and Sinner spoiled Alcaraz's b...