Ahead of the 2025 U.S. Open men’s singles final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, Nike released an “Opposites Attack” short pitting the stars head to head. Six hours and four sets later, Alcaraz secured the win over his rival, securing his sixth career major title and the coveted world No. 1 ATP ranking, leading Nike to proclaim that the Spanish star is “cut different.”
In what was their fifteenth overall match against each other and their sixth majors face-off, Alcaraz notched a 6-2 3-6 6-1 6-4 victory over Italy’s Sinner, who was ranked world No. 1 going into the match.
On foot, Alcaraz stuck with what’s become a staple of his court kit: the Nike Vapor 12 with a retooled midsole based on 2020’s Nike Vapor Pro 1. The Vapor Pro 1 model was worn frequently by Alcaraz and he’s since incorporated its setup into many of his on-court shoes.
Sinner opted for the Nike Zoom GP Challenge 1, a model that’s been a staple for the Italian pro this year.
The rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner has been especially heated this year. In June, Alcaraz downed Sinner in the French Open, a match which set a record for the tournament’s longest final in history. Then, a month later at Wimbledon, Sinner got his win back and ended his rival’s undefeated streak in major competition. The two also faced briefly in August at the Cincinnati Open before Sinner was forced to retire early due to illness.
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates after defeating Jannik Sinner of Italy during their Men’s Singles Final match on Day Fifteen of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 07, 2025 in New York City.
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Alcaraz and Sinner’s final was pushed back by 30 minutes due to the attendance of president Donald Trump, which called for additional security measures.
The modified Nike Vapor 12 worn by Alcaraz is not available to the public, however the standard version of the Vapor 12 is available now from nike.com and select retailers for $180.
The shoes of Carlos Alcaraz during the 2025 U.S. Open.
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