Jannik Sinner’s Adjustments After Alcaraz Setback
Italian star ponders his US Open final loss as he gears up for the Beijing tournament.
September 24, 2025
Image Credit: Getty
Jannik Sinner targets a third title this season at the Beijing tournament.
By Sam Jacot
After two and a half weeks of reflection following his four-set loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open final, Jannik Sinner is embracing change as he prepares for his first match at the China Open.
Having triumphed over Alcaraz at Wimbledon, Sinner struggled to keep pace with the 22-year-old in New York, positioning Alcaraz with a 10-5 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. Sinner is focused on implementing subtle adjustments to his game, especially with a potential rematch against Alcaraz looming at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai next month.
“We’ve been analyzing that final quite a bit,” Sinner shared prior to his Beijing opener. “We’re working on several new strategies and making small changes. Right now, the number of errors may be slightly higher, but I trust that will improve.”
“It’s a matter of time. The real challenge is putting these changes into practice during matches, as training and competition differ greatly. However, I’m highly motivated. It’s exciting to work on new aspects of my game, and I’m eager to see how far this development takes me. It’s all about progress; even a step forward is better than backtracking. Let’s see what we can achieve.”
Sinner, who captured Grand Slam titles at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon this season, aims for yet another victory in Beijing, where he is the top seed. He previously claimed the title in 2023 but fell to Alcaraz in the final last year. Meanwhile, Alcaraz is participating in the ATP 500 event in Tokyo this week.
Arriving at the tournament with a new addition to his team, Sinner has welcomed physiotherapist Alejandro Resnicoff, who boasts over 15 years of experience on the ATP Tour.
“He brings a wealth of experience having worked with various players at this level,” Sinner noted. “He respects our existing team dynamics and only aims to enhance our approach if he identifies areas for improvement. It’s all about collaboration.”
“While it takes time to adjust, I’ve had some experience working with him previously when I didn’t have my regular physio. Now, having him on board is invaluable, as he’s incredibly experienced.”
Sinner, currently ranked No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings, will face former Beijing finalist Marin Cilic in his opening match at this ATP 500 hard-court event. He aims for another deep run to narrow the gap with World No. 1 Alcaraz, who regained his top ranking following the US Open.
With a solid 37-5 record this season, as reported by the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, Sinner has already secured his spot for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, where he emerged victorious last year.
