The Rivalry, The Repeat, & The Return(s)

Love-Love Letter #23 | Sept 2-7

Your tennis cheat sheet — for fans who like the game, but don’t want to live on Tennis Twitter.

🌍 Where in the World Are We?

We’ve wrapped up the final Slam of the year in New York and the 2025 US Open is officially in the books. After two weeks of sweat, night sessions, and no rain delays (a rarity in Flushing Meadows), champions were crowned on this Saturday and Sunday.

What’s happening:

• The rivalry the sport is building around. Alcaraz vs. Sinner took center stage again in New York - their meetings already feel like checkpoints in tennis history, not just matches.

• Comebacks were the vibe. From Naomi Osaka returning to the Slam spotlight, to Félix Auger-Aliassime rediscovering his form, to Taylor Townsend nearly toppling a top seed, Flushing Meadows was full of “I’m back” moments.

• Doubles gave us the joy. Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez lit up the second week with a carefree, feel-good run to the quarters - a reminder that not everything is about the trophy (eh, sometimes true).

✅ Results You Should Know

Aryna Sabalenka def. Amanda Anisimova, 6-3, 7-6(3) (Final)
💡Why it matters: Sabalenka defended her US Open crown, becoming the first woman since Serena Williams in 2012–2014 to win back-to-back titles in New York. Despite a rough 2025 grand slam season up until this point, it is her fourth major overall as she cements her place as number one in the world. Anisimova reached a second straight Grand Slam final but hasn’t yet cracked winning one.

Naomi Osaka def. Iga Świątek, 7-5, 6-2 (QF)
💡Why it matters: Osaka’s run to the semis, highlighted by her upset of the world No. 2, was her best Slam showing in four years. This tournament likely marked her reentry into the sport’s top tier. Welcome back, Naomi.

Carlos Alcaraz def. Jannik Sinner, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 (Final)
💡Why it matters: While this showdown didn’t quite reach the drama of their French Open classic, Alcaraz and Sinner have now combined to win the last eight majors (four each). Their budding rivalry has become the axis of men’s tennis and sets up a blockbuster storyline for 2026 and beyond.

Carlos Alcaraz def. Novak Djokovic, 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-2 (SF)
💡Why it matters: Alcaraz handled Djokovic in straights, signaling a clear passing of the torch moment as the 22-year-old tightened his grip on the sport’s biggest stages. Djokovic admitted after in his press conference that him beating Alcaraz or Djokovic in a Grand Slam event ever again was unlikely (that hits pretty hard).

Novak Djokovic def. Taylor Fritz, 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 (QF)
💡Why it matters: Fritz gave the New York crowd hope, but Djokovic’s experience was too much. The result reinforced the gap that still exists between the American No. 1 and the sport’s legends.

🔥 Can’t-Miss Highlights

🎥 Sabalenka with the defense and touch
Not normally her forte, but it gets the job done in a beautiful point.
▶️ Watch here (start at 0:39)

🎥 Insane Alcaraz half volley
This first point was insane, but honestly the whole video featuring the best players in the world is worth watching (even again if you watched the match live).
▶️ Watch here (start at 0:00)

📆 What to Watch For

There’s plenty of 250/500-level events around the world over the next couple of weeks, but the next 1000-level event is in China at the end of September/beginning of October for both the men and women.

📰 Other Happenings (“Drama”)

Security chaos - and political tension - at the men’s final
President Trump’s attendance sparked unprecedented delays. Thousands of fans were stranded in security lines, resulting in a 30–45 minute match delay and a noticeably sparse opening crowd. Rumors even swirled that the US Open organizers instructed broadcasters to avoid showing boos from the stands.

👗 An Outfit Worth Seeing

Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner

• The Look: The mens final trophy ceremony. Sinner in burnt orange, Alcaraz in deep plum - two velvet-sheen Nike jackets, same cut, different colors. Both stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the podium with hardware in hand, looking like coordinated rivals straight out of a campaign shoot.

• Why It Stands Out: This wasn’t just match gear - it was image-making. Nike put the sport’s two defining young stars in parallel fits, underscoring how their rivalry is both competitive and complementary. One hoisted the trophy, the other the runner-up plate, but together the visual was iconic.

• Vibe Check: Cool, unified, era-defining. The kind of styling that makes you think less about “winner vs. loser” and more about “co-kings of the moment.”