NEW YORK – Reigning champion Jannik Sinner expects another “special” occasion when he plays Carlos Alcaraz for the US Open title on Sept 7, after the Italian reached his fifth successive Grand Slam final.

The world No. 1 beat Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the semi-finals on Sept 5 and is chasing a fifth career Major after joining Rod Laver, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as the only men to reach all four Grand Slam finals in a season.

“I think five straight Grand Slam finals, it’s something great. The consistency and putting myself there in the later stages of the biggest tournaments we have, it’s amazing,” said Sinner.

“I would have never thought that I would make this when I turned pro, and now I find myself here.”

His world No. 1 ranking will also be at stake on Sept 7 when he faces his great rival Alcaraz of Spain for the third consecutive Grand Slam final.

Sinner, 24, captured the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles this season but lost to the 22-year-old Alcaraz in an epic five-set battle at the French Open.

“On court we like to see each other, you know, because it means that considering our ranking, it means that we are doing well in the tournament,” added the Italian.

“He’s someone who pushed me to limit, which is great, because you have the best feedback you can have as a player. We’ve faced each other quite a lot now lately, so things are getting a little bit different, different confidence too, so let’s see what’s coming.

“It’s nice and great for the sport having rivalries, having hopefully great matches.”

They will meet at the US Open for the second time. Their first encounter in the 2022 quarter-finals – won by Alcaraz – was a seismic battle that has come to shape their rivalry.

“Sunday is a very special day and an amazing final again,” said Sinner. “I feel like our rivalry started here playing an amazing match. We are two different players now, with different confidence too.”

Three years ago it was Alcaraz who prevailed after a 5hr 15min marathon that finished just before 3am in New York, with the Spaniard going on to lift his maiden Grand Slam at that tournament.

Fast forward a couple of years and Alcaraz has won five Majors.

Sinner is looking to catch Alcaraz by collecting his fifth as well. Much of that success has been built on a the back of 27 straight Grand Slam match wins on hard courts.

He is aiming to become the first man to successfully defend the US Open crown since Federer won the last of five consecutive titles in 2008.

It would not be easy, especially since Alcaraz took down 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 with clinical precision to reach the final.

Djokovic won their two most recent meetings, including in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open earlier this year, but the 38-year-old showed wear and tear against Alcaraz, 16 years his junior.

“It’s something that I’m working on, just the consistency on the matches, on the tournaments, on the year in general,” stated Alcaraz.

“Just not having ups-and-downs in the match. Just the level that I start the match, I just wanted to keep that level really high during the whole match.”

The Spaniard will have a chance to become the first man in the Open Era to win the US Open without dropping a set, though chances are that his battle with Sinner will likely go to four or even five sets.

Alcaraz was not asked immediately after his win about facing Sinner as he played before his rival’s clash with Auger-Aliassime, but he said that it was an “amazing” feeling to be in the final.

“It means a lot to me. Today, I’d say – it wasn’t the best level of the tournament for me, but I just kept a good level from the beginning until the last point,” he added.

“I served pretty well, I think that was really, really important. Trying to play a really physical match and I think I did it. I played really good tennis and I’m just really happy to be able to play in my second final here.” AFP, REUTERS

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