Wilander predicted Jannik Sinner would win the US Open final, but Alcaraz's performance astonished him. Commenting after the match, the former Swedish player, who won 4 grand slams by the age of 22, said Alcaraz was only slightly better than himself at that age but dominated his rival.

"When he's playing well, Alcaraz is number one," Wilander said. "He's good on all surfaces, plays solidly, but is also very flamboyant. Serving is a skill Alcaraz has improved. Normally, Sinner serves better, but today Alcaraz did better. When Alcaraz serves well, he's almost unbeatable."

Alcaraz celebrates his victory in the 2025 US Open final, at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York, USA on 7/9. Photo: Reuters

Alcaraz celebrates his victory in the 2025 US Open final, at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York, USA on 7/9. Photo: Reuters

Statistics show Alcaraz had 42 winners, far exceeding Sinner's 21. He also made fewer unforced errors (24 compared to 28), and this occurred on a day of effective serving by the Spanish player. Alcaraz achieved a first-serve point win percentage of 84%, better than Sinner's 69%. With the second serve, the numbers still favored Alcaraz with 57% and 48% respectively.

Despite not having the height advantage of Sinner, Alcaraz achieved an average first-serve speed of 192 km/h, on par with his rival's 193 km/h. Alcaraz finished the match with a thunderous serve to Sinner's backhand, which he couldn't return. Throughout the tournament, Alcaraz lost only three service games, including one against Sinner in the final. Only Sinner managed to take a set from Alcaraz in this US Open. Alcaraz nearly became the first player in history to win the US Open without dropping a set.

"Perhaps only Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer could do what Alcaraz does," Wilander added. "Six grand slams at 22, he surpassed me long ago. He has a team that has stuck with him since he was unknown, and they're still together now. That's a good sign. The question is how many majors will Alcaraz win? It's likely he'll reach 20 titles, putting him on par with the legendary trio."

Djokovic currently holds the grand slam record with 24 cups, Nadal has 22, and Federer has 20. In history, only Nadal achieved such early success like Alcaraz, while Djokovic and Federer needed a few more years after 22 to reach their peak. The "Big 3" even won nearly half of their grand slams after the age of 30.

"With today's science and medicine, players' careers will be longer, and Alcaraz will benefit from that," Wilander added. "If he avoids injuries and maintains a long career, Alcaraz could break many records."

Vy Anh