Carlos Alcaraz cemented his place in tennis history on Sunday, defeating Jannik Sinner to become a two-time US Open champion at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The victory marked his sixth career Grand Slam, a journey that saw him overcome Luciano Darderi, Arthur Rinderknech, Jiri Lehecka, and the legendary Novak Djokovic.
Almost immediately after he lifted the trophy at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the tennis community, including legends and rivals, flocked to social media to congratulate the new World No. 1.
How Did Jessica Pegula, Rafael Nadal, Martina Navratilova, and Others React to Carlos Alcaraz’s Victory?
The final, which lasted two hours and 42 minutes, saw Alcaraz start strong by breaking Sinner in the opening game and cruising to a 6-2 win. Sinner, however, fought back in the second set, winning it 6-3 to even the match. That was the only set Alcaraz lost during the entire tournament. From there, the Spaniard regained control, breaking Sinner’s serve twice to take the third set 6-1.
After a fourth set filled with powerful shots and volleys from both players, Alcaraz eventually broke Sinner again, winning 6-4 and sealing the championship with an ace.
The impressive performance drew a wave of congratulatory messages. Jessica Pegula, who was eliminated in the semifinals by Aryna Sabalenka, offered a playful jab at the new champion. “Congrats @carlitosalcarazz too bad I was the only person to beat you at the @usopen this year,” she wrote on Instagram, referring to the Mixed Doubles match where she partnered up with Jack Draper to defeat Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu.
Several other tennis legends also chimed in to celebrate the young star’s achievement. Billie Jean King acknowledged Alcaraz’s win on X.
Cheers to @carlosalcaraz, who has captured the #USOpen men’s singles title for the second time! https://t.co/0IkDXbqY1W
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) September 7, 2025
On her Instagram story, she added, “Cheers to 6x Grand Slam champion, and 2x US Open champion, @carlitosalcarazz!”
Martina Navratilova, a 59-time Grand Slam champion, praised Alcaraz’s dominance, writing, “Congrats to Carlos: what a performance, what a champion!!!”
Congrats to Carlos- what a performance, what a champion!!! https://t.co/QhnlCFEk0b
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) September 7, 2025
His compatriot, Rafael Nadal, shared a message in Spanish on his Instagram story, writing, “Congratulations for all the work What’s behind this great season.”
Fellow Spanish player Alejandro Davidovich Fokina jokingly referenced the one set Alcaraz dropped, writing, “I thought you was gonna win without losing a set. You flying.”
Coco Gauff’s former coach, Brad Gilbert, also congratulated the Spaniard:
congrats 🍾 Escape from Alcaraz @carlosalcaraz on winning your 2nd @usopen and 6th slam, absolutely brilliant the whole tournament 🏟️ long.
— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) September 7, 2025
On Alcaraz’s celebratory Instagram post, Stan Wawrinka commented, “Congraaaattsss beast,” while Fabio Fognini added, “Amazing!!!! Congratulations to you and your entire team!!! Enjoy CHAMPION A hug.”
MORE: Everything Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner Said About Each Other During US Open Speeches
For the first time in 23 years, a men’s Major final did not feature a member of the “Big Three”: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, or Novak Djokovic. With this win, Alcaraz became the second-youngest men’s player to win six Grand Slams, trailing only Björn Borg.
The victory also propelled him to the World No. 1 ranking, ending Sinner’s 65-week reign at the top. The head-to-head battle between the two now stands at 10-5 in favor of Alcaraz.
King Carlos 👑
The Spaniard defeats Sinner in four sets to claim his second US Open trophy! pic.twitter.com/C2jBm7F178
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2025
The Spanish-Italian rivalry has become the new centerpiece of men’s tennis. Alcaraz and Sinner are the first pair in the Open Era to face each other in three Grand Slam finals in the same season, and together they have won the last eight Grand Slam singles titles, splitting them evenly with four titles each.
Despite the loss, Sinner made history as the youngest player to compete in five consecutive Grand Slam finals. The loss also snapped his impressive 27-match winning streak.
