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Reuters

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner turned 2025 into a gripping tug of war for tennis supremacy by carving up the grand slams for a second straight year, while the women’s game showcased depth and drama with four different major champions.
Sinner’s dominant victory over Alexander Zverev at the start of the season helped him retain his Australian Open title and become the first Italian to capture three majors – moving past Nicola Pietrangeli, who won back-to-back French Opens in 1959-60.
What followed after Sinner’s three-month ban in February for anti-doping violations in 2024 was nothing short of spectacular, as he took his era-defining rivalry with Alcaraz to the biggest stage in an epic five-set Roland Garros final.
Alcaraz ultimately prevailed after saving three match points – one of the sport’s great comebacks in the longest Paris final at five hours and 29 minutes – with the Spaniard establishing himself as the “Prince of Clay” in the post-Rafa Nadal era.
The “Sincaraz” slugfest continued in the Wimbledon final, where Sinner avenged his painful defeat at Roland Garros by beating Alcaraz to raise his first trophy on the famous All England Club lawns, perfectly setting up their inevitable US Open showdown.

After thumping Novak Djokovic in the semi-final to prolong the Serb’s wait for a record 25th major title, Alcaraz dazzled under New York’s lights to dismantle Sinner in the final and tighten his grip on their rivalry.
“I give 100 per cent every day to improve … to see what I can do better to beat Jannik and win these kinds of trophies,” Alcaraz said after his second US Open triumph.
“Having this rivalry means a lot. It’s super special for me, for him and for people who enjoy it every single time we play.”
Career grand slam
With six grand slam titles under his belt to Sinner’s four, Alcaraz will look to eclipse Nadal and become the youngest man to complete the set of all majors when he heads Down Under in the New Year.
Melbourne provided the biggest surprise in the women’s game as Madison Keys dethroned Aryna Sabalenka to win her first grand slam title at 29, the American becoming the fourth-oldest first-time major champion in the professional era, which began in 1968.
Coco Gauff hoisted the French Open title, beating Sabalenka in the final to give American fans another high point, but Amanda Anisimova endured a brutal reality check in the Wimbledon final, where Iga Swiatek triumphed without dropping a game.
Anisimova shrugged off the double bagel and reached the US Open final but more heartbreak was in store as Sabalenka proved too strong in the battle of big-hitters and retained her title, taking her grand slam tally to four.

Sabalenka’s hopes of finishing the season with another title were dashed when the world No 1 was comprehensively beaten in the WTA Finals decider, where Elena Rybakina pocketed US$5.235 million after a flawless Riyadh campaign.
Larger prize pots were a major talking point throughout the season as the Professional Tennis Players’ Association filed a lawsuit against the sport’s stakeholders while leading players wrote to the grand slams seeking a bigger slice of the pie.
While off-court battles over pay and governance rumbled on, opportunities were scarce beyond the duopoly at the top of the men’s game, leaving Djokovic to provide the year’s stand-out moments for the chasing pack.
The 38-year-old Serb limited his appearances but sparkled with his 100th career title in Geneva and his 101st in Athens, where he paid an emotional tribute to his former coach Nikola Pilic, who died in September, aged 86.
The tennis world was in mourning again following the death of Pietrangeli aged 92, shortly after Italy retained the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup trophies, and Sinner beat new world No 1 Alcaraz to retain the ATP Finals title.


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ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals)

Year in tennis: ‘Sincaraz’ rivalry splits men’s grand slams while 4 share women’s titles

Italy’s Jannik Sinner (right) finished the year with the ATP Finals trophy while Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz was runner-up. Photo: Reuters

Madison Keys produced the biggest surprise of the year in winning the Australian Open. Photo: AP

Coco Gauff celebrates after beating Aryna Sabalenka to win the French Open in June. Photo: AFP

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Zheng Qinwen will attempt another comeback in Melbourne next month. Photo: EPA

Zheng Qinwen carries Hubei’s flag at the National Games’ opening ceremony on November 9. Photo: Xinhua

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Hong Kong’s 2022 Olympics speed skater Sidney Chu with several young skaters, including Jamie Wan (second from right), at the Hong Kong Cup in Discovery Bay on Tuesday. Photo: Ada Li

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Sport

Tennis

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner carve up grand slams for second straight year while women’s game showcases depth and drama


Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner carve up grand slams for second straight year while women’s game showcases depth and drama.


Year in tennis: ‘Sincaraz’ rivalry splits men’s grand slams while 4 share women’s titles

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner carve up grand slams for second straight year while women’s game showcases depth and drama

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner carve up grand slams for second straight year while women’s game showcases depth and drama