NEW YORK. Over five hours and five sets of stellar tennis. Continuous frontal reversals, wasted set points and match points, two tie-breaks and many, many, winning shots. Carlos Alcaraz wins the semifinals of the US Open for the first time, the last slam of the season, beating Jannik Sinner with a score of 6-3 6-7 6-7 7-5 6-3. An epic match that was staged in Flushing Meadows, the new chapter of a rivalry that, despite the young age of the two (21 and 19 years) has already entered the pages of modern tennis. And it’s not just a question of rackets, forehands and backhands, serves and volley. In the long New York marathon it was the half smiles, the inciting punches, the liberating screams to sanction the key moments of the match. The two are rivals on the pitch and friends off the circuit. And it shows in every exchange. They spare no energy and give nothing to the opponent: they know that every confrontation is decided on the details. On the centimeters of concrete around the lines. Very few are enough to decide if the ball is in or out, if the game is won or lost. If you rejoice or go home shaking your head.
Alcaraz started very strong. In his head hovered the (sporting) anger for the latest defeats against the blue. In Wimbledon, first, and then in Umag, Croatia. The victory in 2021 at the Paris Masters, the only one for the Spaniard before today in direct comparisons, seems very far away. And there’s a lot up for grabs. A semi-final against Tiafoe and a possible final against Ruud or Khachanov is worth double. It is an opportunity not to be missed. The two players, their staff and all the fans know this. Electricity everywhere, even during breaks to change sides of the pitch. Alcaraz wins the first set. It’s been just 53 minutes. It is a fairly clear 6-3 despite several breaks. It’s an appetizer, come to think of it, of what would come next. The second set continues with the same script. Sinner and Alcaraz exchange “doors” from the baseline. They give up and regain service. They cry out and suffer.
At the tie-break it is the native of San Candido who wins (9-7). Details again. Even in the third fraction we arrive at the tie-break but this time there is no story. Sinner does not even leave a point to the opponent. Seven to zero. The match is turned inside out like a sock. The blue puts his head forward. The inertia is all on his side. The Spaniard feels the blow, staggers, seems to give in but does not go to the mat. The fourth set is a swing. Sinner gets to have a match point at 5-4 that seems to be able to close everything and send the spectators home. But Alcaraz rises from his ashes, collects three games in a row and wins the fourth set. All to be redone, yet.
Meanwhile, the night fell on New York. In the stands there are still many brave people who have not abandoned their posts. Before the eyes there is history. They know, we all know. The two players start the fifth set with little energy. But they don’t give up. In the end, again for those damn details. Check Alcaraz who takes advantage of the second match point after having taken by the hair, for the umpteenth time, a match that has never been in the hands, for real, of either of them. But in tennis, a cruel sport, a draw is not expected. The fifth set ends 6-3 for the Spaniard. For Sinner, in addition to the applause, there is a bitter taste in the mouth for a nuanced occasion. What remains, however, in the eyes of those who have seen the game, is the awareness of having witnessed the umpteenth test of two giants, two phenomena, two tennis players who are ready to meet in the future to cross racquets in other epics, and interminable, battles.