Italy’s Jannik Sinner celebrates profitable his semi remaining match towards Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime on September 5, 2025 — Reuters
Defending champion Jannik Sinner battled previous twenty fifth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-4 within the US Open semi-finals on Friday to arrange a blockbuster title conflict with Carlos Alcaraz and renew one of many sport’s most compelling rivalries.
Shortly after Alcaraz wove his magic to dismantle 24-times Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the often machine-like Sinner misfired at instances however prevailed to make sure a 3rd successive main remaining with the Spaniard.
The hard-fought victory makes Sinner solely the fourth man within the skilled period that started in 1968 to achieve all 4 Grand Slam finals in a single season, becoming a member of Djokovic, Rod Laver and Roger Federer.
“Amazing season. The Grand Slams are the most important tournaments we have and finding myself again in another final, especially the last one this season, with an amazing crowd… It doesn’t get any better,” Sinner stated.
“Felix and I played in the last tournament [in Cincinnati]. He’s a completely different player. He was serving much better, hitting every shot much better, so it was a tough match, but I’m obviously very happy.
“I noticed he was injured sooner or later, so hopefully it is nothing unhealthy. I want him solely one of the best. He is a tremendous participant and a tremendous individual so it is at all times good to share some good matches with him.”
The Italian world number one faced brief resistance in the fifth game of the contest but dialled up the intensity to hold and wrapped up the lopsided opening set when Auger-Aliassime sent a backhand wide.
Auger-Aliassime settled his nerves in his second New York semi-final, breaking for a 5-3 lead in the next set en route to levelling the match, before going toe-to-toe with Sinner in the third set, only for the momentum to shift again.
Sinner, who took a medical timeout for an unspecified issue, found his groove to close out the third set, staving off a strong challenge from his reinvigorated Canadian opponent with some clutch serving in the next set to advance.
He told reporters afterward he felt twitching in his stomach while serving at 4-3 in the second set but played down concerns about his fitness.
“After the remedy, was feeling significantly better,” he said.
“Sooner or later, I did not really feel something anymore. I used to be serving again at regular tempo, so it was all good.
“Nothing to worry about. But I preferred to go off court because it’s on a different spot.”
The victory arrange a mouth-watering encounter with second seed Alcaraz, who saved three matchpoints of their French Open remaining assembly in June to retain his title earlier than surrendering his Wimbledon crown to the Italian in July.
Sinner appeared forward to their main trilogy assembly, which is able to happen on Sunday, three years after the pair duelled within the New York quarter-finals in an entertaining five-setter that Alcaraz gained earlier than occurring to elevate the sterling silver trophy.
“I feel our rivalry started here, playing an amazing match,” Sinner stated.
“We’re two different players now, different confidence too, so let’s see what’s coming. We’ve played quite a lot this year so we know each other very well. In any case, it has been an amazing tournament, an amazing feeling to play in front of you.
“I am trying ahead to doing it once more.”
