Deferred rivalry: On the U.S. Open
The upcoming U.S. Open tennis tournament faces significant shifts as top players like Jannik Sinner are sidelined by injury. Carlos Alcaraz enters the tournament with limited recent match play, while Alexander Zverev emerges as a top contender.
Why it matters
The absence of key rivalries impacts the competitive landscape of professional tennis and shifts the focus toward emerging favorites in major Grand Slam events.
The Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner rivalry is no doubt this era’s defining matchup, but it has also been punctuated by long pauses. In early 2025, Sinner was absent for three months as he served a doping-related ban; this season, Alcaraz was out of action for four months from mid-April owing to a troublesome wrist. Just when it seemed that the two leading lights will come face to face at the US Open starting Sunday, Sinner has been waylaid by a knee injury. In 2025, they met six times in six months; there has just been a solitary duel in the subsequent nine. In a way, the postponement of the battle may suit Alcaraz, for the seven-time Major champion has not played a competitive singles fixture since Barcelona in April.
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