A US Open championship not only gained Alcaraz a lot in one night but also made many outside observers admire how endearing the Spaniard has become.

Before Alcaraz made it to the final, worries about the Spaniard persisted among the public.

Especially after Swiatek was eliminated in the second week, some worried that last year’s Cincinnati singles champions, Sinner and Sabalenka, who both reached the final and won in sync, might see history repeat itself this year since Swiatek, the Cincinnati women’s champion, exited early, possibly foreshadowing a similar fate for men’s champion Alcaraz.

Facing Djokovic in the semifinals, a player he had never beaten on hard courts and had lost to twice in a row across seasons, combined with Swiatek’s unexpected defeat to Anisimova, and given that “Cincinnati is a precursor to the US Open,” it was hard not to feel anxious about Alcaraz’s chances to advance.

Even if Alcaraz managed to overcome Djokovic, many still believed it would be difficult for Spain to reclaim the world No. 1 spot by winning the title against Sinner, who was dubbed the AI by many.

Many fans, netizens, and even bookmakers favored Sinner to successfully defend his title, likely influenced by the Italian’s dominant 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 victory over the in-form Asian player Bublik previously.

Sinner’s overwhelming dominance on hard courts is hard to challenge, and his excellent form against Bublik further impressed the public, so it was understandable that Alcaraz, who hadn’t lost a set on his path to the final, was not widely favored.

Surprisingly, in the match against Sinner, Alcaraz impressed everyone from the very first set, showing superior form, confidence, and morale compared to the Italian. By comprehensively dominating and eventually defeating Sinner 3-1, he claimed his second US Open title. Many found it hard to believe Alcaraz toppled the new hard-court king at Flushing Meadows, completely overturning pre-match predictions.

Alcaraz’s team did not keep this much-asked question from the public; coach Ferrero personally revealed the answer.

“We trained in isolation for 15 days, focusing intensely on the details that needed improvement to face Sinner. We knew Yannick was always tough to handle on this hard surface and had won many matches. I think this helped because Carlos realized many areas he had to improve, and I paid close attention to that,” Ferrero disclosed. After the Wimbledon loss to Sinner, the result was hard for Alcaraz and the team to accept, so they deliberately conducted 15 days of special training post-Wimbledon, studying Sinner’s tactics and devising effective counter-strategies.

Judging by the final outcome, the “Nine Swords” tactic Alcaraz developed after Wimbledon to counter Sinner proved highly effective. No matter how much the Italian struggled, he couldn’t change the course. Alcaraz maintained control throughout the match and, after three years, lifted the US Open trophy again, also snatching the world No. 1 ranking from Sinner.

This US Open title is priceless for the 22-year-old Alcaraz. It increased his Grand Slam count to six, tying him with legends Edberg and Becker, thus entering the hall of fame tier. A netizen joked, “Even if Alcaraz never wins another Slam, he can still be called a legend after retirement.”

Moreover, the $5 million prize money from this championship made Alcaraz the first player born after 2000 to surpass $50 million in career earnings, firmly securing his position as the richest post-2000 player.

Some joked with Alcaraz, saying that thankfully after losing at Wimbledon, he deliberately practiced the “Nine Swords” to counter Sinner; otherwise, he might have missed out not only on the title and world No. 1 but also on being the richest post-2000 player, which could have gone to Sinner.

On the earnings leaderboard for players born after 2000, Alcaraz currently leads with $53.487 million, followed by Sinner with $48.780 million and Swiatek with $42.595 million.

A single US Open title brought Alcaraz so much wealth and honor. Perhaps in a great mood, he also showed everyone a humorous and charming side of the Spaniard after the match.

During an NBC interview with women’s champion Sabalenka, it was unclear whether the Belarusian deliberately teased Alcaraz or simply misspoke, calling the Spaniard “Sinner.”

Upon hearing this, Alcaraz immediately picked up the trophy and pretended to leave. Sabalenka quickly stopped him to correct the mistake, exclaiming, “This is the worst moment of my life.”

While many expected Alcaraz to just laugh it off, he surprised everyone by turning into a comedian, joking, “I didn’t hear anything, don’t worry!”

Their playful back-and-forth created a hilarious mini skit that electrified the atmosphere, revealing Alcaraz’s strong comedic potential. Some even teased that he should be considered the top candidate for tennis’s “funny man,” as such talent should not be wasted.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River’s Starry Sky)