If there was one phrase that summed up the men’s tennis season, it was “Sincaraz”- the rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
And so we start our rewind of 2025 with the French Open Final…
This was the match of the year, a true epic that saw Carlos Alcaraz defeat Sinner after five hours and 29 minutes. The Spaniard was down two sets to love and faced a stunning three championship points against him. Yet, he rallied to win the title. That final encounter became the country’s most-watched final since 2011, drawing over 5.1 million viewers.
YANNICK SINNER’S REVENGE
Sinner got his revenge quickly, though, clinching the Wimbledon title later in the summer. It was a fantastic year for both men, Sinner played some top tennis, bringing his efficiency to the fore despite sitting out three months due to an accepted ineligibility stemming from positive tests for banned substances.
The coveted year-end ranking. Despite Sinner’s incredible win percentage (90.6%), Carlos Alcaraz claimed the year-end World No. 1 ranking. Alcaraz ended the season with 12,050 live points to Sinner’s 11,500, having played the whole year and secured a 4-2 head-to-head record over his rival.
MADISON KEYS HAD THE KEYS TO THE SEASON OPENER
On the women’s side of the court, Madison Keys started the season with a bang.
She defied expectations at the Australian Open, starting the year’s first slam with a win in Adelaide before the tournament. Her semifinal comeback against second-seeded Iga Swiatek was unforgettable. Iga broke Keys to take a 6-5 lead in the deciding set, but Keys turned the match on its head by winning the next game and then taking the 10-point tiebreak. Keys pocketed her maiden Grand Slam, beating the No. 1 and two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
ANISIMOVA, THE BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR
Speaking of American breakthroughs, Amanda Anisimova, finished the year World No. 4 after a remarkable ascent. Her season included two WTA 1000 titles in Doha and Beijing, as well as consecutive Grand Slam finals. Outside of the Top 400 in 2024 after taking a break for mental health issues, she made a stunning comeback. However, her first Major final at Wimbledon was a tough moment: she lost 6-0, 6-0 to Iga Swiatek. Anisimova was moved to tears, admitting later that she had “ran out of gas”.
SABALENKA THE STATISTICAL LEADER
Aryna Sabalenka ended 2025 with one slam at the Flushing Meadows. But in 2025 season she was the undeniable statistical leader, finishing the year as world No. 1 for the second time in her career, with 10,870 points. Sabalenka’s successful 2025 season included reaching the Australian Open and French Open Final too, where she lost against American Madison Keys.
MILESTONES FOR VETERANS:
Novak Djokovic set a new record by becoming the oldest male player to reach the quarters at all four majors in a calendar year And Venus Williams competed in the US Open main draw at the age of 45
TENNIS BUZZ: HARASSMENT FOR WTA PLAYERS
Here are some of the moments that got the world of tennis and sports talking-
The fear of harassment unfortunately plagued the WTA tour. Emma Raducanu was visibly upset during her match in Dubai when she spotted a stalker in the crowd, causing her to report the presence and break down in tears.
BODY BETRAYS DIMITROV
Grigor Dimitrov was forced to retire from his fourth-round match against Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon due to a pectoral injury, despite leading two sets to none.
MEDVEDEV FINED AFTER MELTDOWN
Daniil Medvedev lived up to his reputation at the US Open after a dispute involving a photographer and the chair umpire led to him losing it on court. He was subsequently hit with a massive fine of $42,500.
Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/sincaraz-the-word-that-defined-tennis-in-2025-9780201
