Deferred rivalry: On the U.S. Open
The Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner rivalry is no doubt this era’s defining matchup, but it has also been punctuated by long pauses. In early 2025, Sinner was absent for three months as he served a doping-related ban; this season, Alcaraz was out of action for four months from mid-April owing to a troublesome wrist. Just when…