US Open stories: Alcaraz roars, Sinner sulks, Djokovic sighs, Zverev collapses, Medvedev rages, Felix shines, Lehecka climbs in New York

After a dramatic two weeks in New York, the concluding Grand Slam of the 2025 calendar has come to a thrilling climax, with Carlos Alcaraz winning his second US Open title over arch-rival Jannik Sinner, retaining the world number one spot for the first time in almost two years.

In a tournament featuring countless ups and downs for many of the best tennis players in the world, there are stories being written wherever you look, some positive and some negative. These are the winners and losers from the 2025 ATP US Open.

Going into the event, it was looking like it would be an uphill battle for the Spaniard. Sinner had been on an incredible hardcourt winning streak in 2025, only losing his first match when he was forced to retire in the Cincinnati Open final. Winning the last three hardcourt Grand Slams, the Italian was backed to retain his US Open title.

However, if anyone was going to stop him, it would be Alcaraz, with the pair dominating men's tennis for the past two years. You have to go back to the 2023 US Open to pinpoint the last winner who does not go by the name of Alcaraz or Sinner, with the last three finals consisting both of them. Alcaraz had the first laugh at Roland Garros in a mesmerising comeback win, whilst Sinner avenged the heartbreaking defeat with his maiden triumph at Wimbledon.

Alcaraz was looking to turn the tables once again, with the world number one spot on the line. He breezed through the early rounds, not even dropping a set against Reilly Opelka, Mattia Bellucci, Luciano Darderi, Arthur Rinderknech, and Jiri Lehecka before setting up a highly anticipated semi-final showdown against 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic. In a statement showing, the Spaniard conceded just one break point in his straight-sets victory over the great Serbian to reach the final.

Despite Sinner's impecible form on hardcourts, Alcaraz was on by far on top when facing off in finals, only losing one of their five previous finals. He had beaten him at the China Open and most recently the Cincinnati Open, along with victories on clay in Rome and Roland Garros. He would carry on this hot streak against his nemesis by playing some unstoppable tennis, making Sinner look like a shell of what he had been perceived as. He dropped his first set in the entire tournament in that final, but was sublime throughout, winning the title with a rocket of an ace.

The perfect way to reinstate himself at the top of the pecking order, and to yet again get the edge over his fierce rival.

It is hard to say that Djokovic has had a bad US Open. Reaching the semi-final whilst knocking out the reigning runner-up, Taylor Fritz, in a commendable performance. The problem is that once again, he is unable to get over the final hurdle and defeat either Alcaraz or Sinner, which has led to concerns about whether he is good enough to win number 25.

After Wimbledon, the Serbian did not feature in any of the Masters 1000 events in Toronto or Cincinnati, fully focused on the US Open title number five. As expected, he proved to be too good for most players, overcoming Learner Tien, Zachery Svajda, Cameron Norrie, Jan-Lenanrd Struff, and the world number four Fritz to overtake him in the rankings and to reach his fourth consecutive Grand Slam semi-final of the year.

Once again, he failed to push on past it, losing in straight sets to Alcaraz, only really having half a sniff in the second set where he went 3-0 up, but was instantly pegged back, before losing in the tiebreaker.

There is no shame in being dumped out by one of Alcaraz or Sinner, but if it is a consistent thing for someone like Djokovic, then there have to be some concerns. The last three Slams have portrayed the same fate, losing against Sinner in the previous two, with an unfortunate reitrement against Alexander Zverev abruptly halting his Australian Open campaign.

At 38 years old, he is running out of time to once again put his name on another major trophy. If he is, then it is more than likely going to involve beating both Alcaraz and Sinner, if not just one, a feat he has only achieved once in the previous two years - knocking out Alcaraz in the quarter-finals in Melbourne earlier this year. It probably is harsh to put him as a loser after moving up four rankings and making it to the last four, but this is Djokovic we are talking about here. If he does not win the event, it cannot be a success.

Back in 2021, Felix Auger-Aliassime advanced to a Grand Slam semi-final for the very first time, losing out to eventual champion Daniil Medvedev in straight sets. This was sandwiched between two quarter-finals in a promising period for the Canadian. Four years later, he has achieved this once again, maybe this time under less expected circumstances.

Since that trio of solid results, he has failed to make it past the fourth round in the following 14 events, being knocked out in the first round in half of them. Going into this year's edition of the US Open, Auger-Aliassime had only won two Grand Slam matches this year.

Following on from a much-improved Cincinnati quarter-final, the 25 seed went into the tournament rejuvinated, not dropping a set in his first two ties against Billy Harris and Roman Safiullin. His next match would be against the world number three, Zverev. If he wanted to advance, he would have to do something that he has never done before: beat a top-five player. Despite dropping the first set, he fought back and dumped out the German to face another tough test in Andrey Rublev.

The Canadian number one performed brilliantly, giving the Russian no chance. He moved into the quarter-finals, where he faced the world number eight Alex de Minaur. Similar to the tie against Zverev, Auger-Aliassime lost the first set 6-4, but picked himself up to win three consecutive sets to set up a semi-final showdown against the world number one.

It would be a step too far for Auger-Aliassime, who managed to get a set off Sinner but was overall no match. Still, a very praiseworthy run from the 25-year-old, who shoots up the rankings 14 places to world number 13. He also puts himself back in contention for the ATP Finals, later this year, up to tenth in the race, where eight players qualify. With some other big tournaments coming up, this may be the start of a return to form for the former world number six.

Another Grand Slam, another disappointing result for Zverev. His quest for a maiden Grand Slam triumph prolongs, with a second consecutive early departure from a major tournament.

Five years ago, Zverev made it to his first Grand Slam final at Flushing Meadows, going two sets up against Dominic Thiem before the Austrian swiped the prize away from him in a fantastic comeback win. He found himself ahead 2-1 against Alcaraz in the Roland Garros final last year, but was again pegged back. He made his third Grand Slam final earlier this year, losing out to Sinner in straight sets in the final in Melbourne.

He was in line to face the 24-year-old in the semi-finals in this edition, but would need a much-improved string of performances to advance him through the rounds. It started well, overcoming Alejandro Tabilo and Jacob Fearnley in straight sets. However, his Grand Slam dreams would once again be thrown out the window in a surprising defeat to Auger-Aliassime in four sets.

Another tough pill to swallow for the 28-year-old, who will have to wait for at least a few months before having another crack at major glory. With time seeping away, his best chances for the most prestigious honours in tennis may be worringly behind him.

A second quarter-final, and a first since Melbourne 2023 marks a brilliant tournament from the Czech. Up to a new career high of world number 16, he can leave New York with his head held high.

The draw did kindly open up to him, but he took full advantage of that, with his potential route consisting of three-time Grand Slam finalist Casper Ruud and world number six Ben Shelton.

We will never know if he would have been able to beat them, but you can only defeat whoever is on the other side of the net. Lehecka did that, getting the better of Borna Coric, Tomas Etcheverry, Raphael Collignon, and Adrian Mannarino to set up a repeat of the Queens final against Alcaraz.

The result was again completed in three sets, but this time Lehecka was unable to take any consolation prize from the now six-time Grand Slam winner. It is a very impressive result to reach this stage of what is a very comeptitive field. He is one to look out for in the future.

It has been a catastrophic year for the Russian, only winning one Grand Slam match, and still awaiting his first title since Halle 2023. He made the headlines at Flushing Meadows for all the wrong reasons, with the former world number one being knocked out in the opening round for the third consecutive time.

Medvedev had enjoyed previous success in New York, clinching the 2021 title over Novak Djokovic. That success is long in the past for the 29-year-old, as he continues to fall down the ranks.

Heading into his opening tie against Benjamin Bonzi, the Russian was the overwhelming favourite to win. However, he found himself two sets down, facing a match point from his French opponent. He was saved by a cameraman walking onto the court right before Bonzi had the chance to serve. Re-awarded his first serve, Medvedev's outburst and crowd reaction seemed to have done the trick. He saved match point, won that set along with a whitewash fourth set, but the resilient Bonzi took him down in the fifth set, leaving Medvedev to wonder where it all had gone wrong.

Now split from his coach, Gilles Cervara, who he spent eight years with, Medvedev is looking for an upturn in form to prevent the inevitable slide he will face down the rankings.