No repeat magic for Jannik Sinner in New York. The Italian lit up Flushing Meadows with a brilliant run, but in the end, Carlos Alcaraz stood tall. In a gripping four-set showdown, the Spaniard earned his second US Open crown in two hours and 42 minutes of near-flawless ball-striking. He sealed a commanding 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 win that included just one shaky set, leaving the city with everything he came for. Some left dejected, seeing Sinner not only fall to his generational rival but also lose his No.1 crown. But Andy Roddick offers a little perspective.

Speaking on the ‘Served’ podcast on September 9, Roddick opened up about the futility of predicting champions. The simple answer? It can’t be done. He recalled being asked to pick a winner before the last Slam, and he gave it to them straight: “You’re asking me to predict a coin flip with confidence. Like, we’re just guessing. There’s no way, ‘I knew!’ That’s disrespectful to someone. Like, that’s disrespectful to one of the players to say, ‘I just knew it.’ No, you f****** guessed, and you got it right.” Could he be right?

For the most part, yes. Players often get a boost based on momentum before and during a Slam. Sinner and Alcaraz are no exception. The Italian, for instance, has reached every final of every event he’s entered since the China Open, and his only slip came at Halle, losing in the second round. He also held the No.1 ranking for 65 straight weeks, while playing just seven tournaments. Out of those, he claimed two Grand Slam titles.

Still, doubts lingered before New York. Sinner, now World No.2, battled the flu and had to pull out before the US Open. That raised major concerns about his form. Yet he silenced those questions quickly, dropping only one set before the final—against Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semis. Even so, Roddick remained stunned by his grit, noting he never saw the match as a “one-way ticket.” And he’s right.

Sinner only managed one set in the final, but he went toe-to-toe with Alcaraz from start to finish. His fight impressed Roddick, who explained: “The margin for error with these two when they’re playing each other is so razor thin. It’s like you’re taking half-chances, right? Like, I know that I have to go when I see Jannik in any defense, and I have to take my shot, even if it’s a little reckless or irresponsible.”

Sunday’s title match was their third straight Slam final, and once again, they dazzled. The rallies were electric, marked by blistering groundstrokes and fearless net play. But outside of the second set—where Sinner’s baseline power overwhelmed his rival—Alcaraz held the upper hand. And when it mattered most, he delivered in style. His serve in the final game hit 131 mph.

As Andy put it, even in defeat, Sinner didn’t fade: “Jannik was hitting the ball harder than anyone I’ve ever seen. The first point, he was like, ‘Let’s empty the canister.’ He was roping the ball. And Carlos just stayed there, got back to deuce, and hit a monster serve on match point. These things are hard! They make it look easy.”

Now, with the Slam season done and Sinner at No.2, the question lingers—what’s next? He’s already promised improvement, and the chase continues.

Jannik Sinner makes a graceful comment about his loss

After that grueling final, Sinner’s response showed just how much respect fuels his rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz. With the runner-up plate in hand, he began by turning to his opponent: “Hello everyone, first of all I would like to start with Carlos and the whole team, you’re doing amazing, congrats, I know it’s a lot of hard work behind this performance, today you were better than me, so congrats, enjoy it, it’s a great moment.” A gracious salute in a tough moment.

Still, it was a memorable run for the Italian. Sinner came into New York as the defending champion and stood just one victory away from becoming the first man since Federer in 2008 to defend the crown. His streak at hardcourt Slams stretched to 27 wins, equaling Djokovic’s best mark and sitting just behind Federer’s all-time record of 40.

The loss stung, but Sinner kept it real in the press later. Reflecting on his defeat, he said, via the ATP tour website: “I was very predictable today on court. He did many things, he changed up the game. That’s also his style of how he plays. Now it’s going to be on me if I want to make changes or not. That’s definitely [what] we are going to work on. I’m trying to be more prepared for the next match that I will play against him.” Honest words, but also a glimpse at how he plans to adjust.

And Sinner has proven before that he knows how to rebound. After losing a nearly five-and-a-half-hour battle at Roland Garros, he stormed back to win Wimbledon. That resilience keeps his story compelling. What comes next? Share your thoughts in the comments below!