On Saturday, Sept. 6, Aryna Sabalenka won her fourth Grand Slam, defeating Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6(3) in the US Open finals at Arthur Ashe Stadium. This victory makes Sabalenka the first woman since Serena Williams to win back-to-back US Open titles. Sabalenka, a Belarusian player, started to rise in the ranks in 2021 when she reached her first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon. Known for her powerful hits, strength on the hard court and irregular playing style, she continues to prove her dominance as world number one. 

Currently, the top contenders in women’s tennis are Sabalenka, Iga Świątek and Coco Gauff. Sabalenka stands in the middle between Świątek, who has six slams, and Gauff, who has two. Świątek is a Polish player known for her powerful forehand, who is nicknamed “The Queen of Clay” due to her four French Open titles — a tournament that takes place on clay courts. However, this year at the 2025 French Open, Sabalenka defeated Świątek’s 26-match winning streak in the semifinals. Sabalenka and Świątek have faced each other 12 times before this US Open. Świątek held an 8-4 head-to-head record with five of these wins on clay courts. Sabalenka’s win last week closed the gap to 8-5. 

Earlier this summer, Gauff, who thrives on hard and clay courts, beat Sabalenka in the Roland Garros final. The Gauff-Sabalenka rivalry is vibrant both on and off the court. The two have provided fans with memorable matches at the 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open Finals. 

In 2023, 19-year-old Gauff beat Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 at the US Open, earning her her first Grand Slam. In 2025, Gauff performed similarly, losing the first set and then recovering 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 against the powerful hitter. Sabalenka, on the other hand, triumphed over Gauff in the 2025 Madrid Open Title, evening the playing field. After the 2025 French Open, Sabalenka’s comments downplaying Gauff’s victory sparked controversy. However, tension and online discourse eased after the two posted a TikTok dance together, confirming to fans that there was no ill will between the two. 

While there has not been an American men’s Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick in 2003, the American women have been in the spotlight, with one American making the final of every Slam this year. Anisimova played in both the Wimbledon and US Open Finals. She has immense strength on both grass and hard courts. Another American, Madison Keys — historically a star on the grass courts — obtained her first Grand Slam title at the 2025 Australian Open, an unexpected achievement on a hard court. And Gauff, world number 3, as previously mentioned, won the 2025 French Open. These women have demonstrated their dominance and dynamic skillset on every court this year.

The Men’s Side: Alcaraz v Sinner Heats Up

On the men’s side of the draw, Carlos Alcaraz just won his sixth Grand Slam against Jannik Sinner on Sunday, Sept. 7, earning him the spot of world number one. He defeated Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in two hours and 42 minutes. This marks three consecutive finals, with these two men facing off against each other for the championship. Considering both of their exceptional athleticism and mentalities, it is likely that we will see more of the Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry in the upcoming years. 

At just 24 years of age, Sinner has had a historic year. An Italian tennis player with exceptional hard-court skills, Sinner made every slam final in 2025, making him the youngest man to do so. He beat Roger Federer’s 2006 record, when he played in every Slam final as a 25-year-old. Federer achieved this feat again at 26 and 28. Sinner also becomes the 6th person, along with Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Mats Wilander and Rod Laver, to have more than 25 Grand Slam match wins in a season. He is now Italy’s most successful Grand Slam player, obtaining his fourth Slam title at this year’s Wimbledon; he defeated the record previously held by Nicola Pietrangeli, another Italian player who claimed two Grand Slam titles before the Open Era began. 

Alcaraz, a Spanish player with immense power and agility on the grass court, has also set many records this year. He became the first man to reach the US Open Final without dropping a set since Federer in 2015. He is also the youngest male singles player in the Open Era to win multiple Majors on all three surfaces, with two clay court Roland-Garros titles, two grass court Wimbledon titles, and now, two hard court US Open titles. In a post-match interview following his win on Sunday evening, Alcaraz said to Sinner, “I see you more than my family. It’s great to share the court, to share the locker room, to share everything with you. Watching you improve every day, working really hard with your team.”

The Next Big Three? 

With Sinner’s and Alcaraz’s success in Grand Slams, and their back-to-back showdowns, there’s no doubt that this is the era of Sinner versus Alcaraz, mirroring 2003-2008, famously remembered as the era of Federer versus Nadal. Due to their continuous back-to-back Grand Slams in the 2000s, it was nearly impossible for another player to measure up. Then, in 2007, Djokovic entered the court, reaching the US Open finals, but ultimately losing to Federer. Soon after, Djokovic beat Federer, winning the 2008 Australian Open and marking the beginning of the so-called “Big Three” of men’s tennis. Between 2003 and 2023, the Big Three won 66 of the 83 Grand Slam titles. 

In the past two years, all eight Grand Slam titles were claimed by either Alcaraz or Sinner. If Sinner and Alcaraz are the next Nadal and Federer, it brings the question of who will complete the new Big Three. Just like Djokovic entered the leagues in 2008, who will enter and become the next big player as Djokovic starts to step down? Their young age indicates that they can shape the next decade of tennis Grand Slam titles were claimed by either Alcaraz or Sinner. If Sinner and Alcaraz are the next Nadal and Federer, it brings the question of who will complete the new Big Three. Just like Djokovic entered the leagues in 2008, who will enter and become the next big player as Djokovic starts to step down? Their young age indicates that they can shape the next decade of tennis Jakub Mensik, or Ben Shelton, but there’s also the possibility of the swift emergence of a completely new player, just like Djokovic at the time. 

Even Djokovic claims, “It will be very difficult for me to overcome the hurdle of Sinner and Alcaraz.” However, Djokovic remains a fan favorite. With 24 slams, the Serbian player has surpassed both Federer and Nadal for the all-time record, and he has no plans to stop anytime soon. His experience battling Nadal and Federer, coupled with his immense skills and unbeatable mentality, has kept him at the top of the game throughout his career. At 38-years-old, he is the oldest player to make the 2025 semifinals of all four Grand Slams in a single season. Though Djokovic has defied age and expectations with his 2025 performance, he has hinted at uncertainty at what his 2026 schedule will look like. Nonetheless, he has said he has no immediate plans to retire and hopes to play in all Grand Slams next year.  

As the 2025 season comes to an end, tennis fans are excited to see who rises to the top next year. Will it be Anisimova? Sabalenka? Swiatek? Keys? Gauff? Or perhaps an entirely new player will have their breakout season. What about the men’s side? Will someone challenge the likes of Sinner and Alcaraz? Will Djokovic finally secure his long-awaited 25th Slam? Whatever the case, the 2026 season is shaping up to be one of the most exciting ones yet.

— Editor’s Note: Justice Associate Editor Anika Jain ’26 contributed to the reporting of this article.