Since Roger Federer’s successful title defense in 2008, no male player has managed to repeat as US Open singles champion. The list of those who tried and failed includes Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, and others. Each year, the defending champion has fallen short, whether due to injury, form, or the depth of competition at Flushing Meadows.
Sinner’s rise to dominance
Jannik Sinner enters the 2025 final with unmatched momentum. He has claimed the last three hard-court Grand Slam titles, including the 2024 US Open, and added the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year. His run in New York has been commanding, dropping just 38 games en route to the semifinals and maintaining a 31-match win streak on hard courts.
The final hurdle
Standing between Sinner and history is the pressure of expectation and the challenge of maintaining peak form under the spotlight. His semifinal victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime was clinical, and he now faces either Carlos Alcaraz or Novak Djokovic—both proven Grand Slam champions. Alcaraz, notably, is the only player to defeat Sinner in 2025, setting up a potential blockbuster final.
What’s at stake
If Sinner wins, he will become the first man in 17 years to defend the US Open title. Beyond that, he would complete a rare triple-major season, joining an elite group in the Open Era. The weight of history looms large, but Sinner’s form and focus suggest he may be ready to lift it. All eyes turn to Sunday, where the streak could finally end.
| Year | Champion |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Jannik Sinner (can he?) |
| 2024 | Jannik Sinner |
| 2023 | Novak Djokovic |
| 2022 | Carlos Alcaraz |
| 2021 | Daniil Medvedev |
| 2020 | Dominic Thiem |
| 2019 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2018 | Novak Djokovic |
| 2017 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2016 | Stan Wawrinka |
| 2015 | Novak Djokovic |
| 2014 | Marin Čilić |
| 2013 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2012 | Andy Murray |
| 2011 | Novak Djokovic |
| 2010 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2009 | Juan Martín del Potro |
| 2008 | Roger Federer |
| 2007 | Roger Federer |
| 2006 | Roger Federer |
| 2005 | Roger Federer |
| 2004 | Roger Federer |
| 2003 | Andy Roddick |
| 2002 | Pete Sampras |
| 2001 | Lleyton Hewitt |
| 2000 | Marat Safin |
Sinner at the U.S. Open, ranking, and results in 2025
Now the world no.1, Sinner has managed to achieve a 37-4 record in 2025. Sinner is now playing at the U.S. Open where he defeated the world no.89 Vit Kopriva 6-1 6-1 6-2
, the world no.36 Alexei Popyrin 6-3 6-2 6-2, the world no.29 Denis Shapovalov 5-7 6-4 6-3 6-3, the world no.24 Alexander Bublik 6-1 6-1 6-1, the world no.10 Lorenzo Musetti 6-1 6-4 6-2 and the world no.27 Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-4.Jannik Sinner will take on the world no.2 Carlos Alcaraz in the final. Their head to head is 10-5 for Alcaraz.
Sinner clinched 2 titles in 2025 at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. The Italian was the runner-up in Rome (Internazionali BNL d’Italia), at the French Open and in Cincinnati (Cincinnati Open).
Sinner won 21 titles in his career: 10 on hard courts, 1 on clay courts, 8 on indoor courts and 2 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)