Rafael Nadal has described why Novak Djokovic posed such a demanding opponent on hard courts and explained how physical issues later in his career made that matchup harder to contest. The two players met 60 times between 2006 and 2024, with Djokovic finishing their rivalry 31-29 after winning their final meeting at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Nadal won only seven of 27 hard-court meetings with Djokovic and had lost the last nine encounters on that surface; his most recent hard-court victory over Djokovic came in the 2013 US Open final. Reflecting on the contrast between surfaces and the toll of long battles, Nadal told The Athletic that matches against Djokovic on hard courts demanded the utmost from his body.

“I needed my body and my physical performance to the highest level to compete against Novak on a hard court,” said the 22-time Grand Slam winner.

He outlined how the matchup required different physical and mental resources than other rivals. “Roger was able to cut the points very fast with his serve, but Novak and me, our games are closer. He was better than me on hard without a doubt, but until 2013, 2014, I was able to compete against him the proper way.

“Then later, when you have a lot of issues in the body, you lose a little bit of confidence in the movement. You start avoiding things that you feel you can’t do like before, because you feel that if you do this kind of thing, you can be injured.

“The mental part of that had a huge impact against Novak. I needed this extra energy in terms of movement, in terms of bringing my game and my body to the limit. And I was not able to produce that anymore.

“I was able to create more damage on other surfaces like grass, but needed to create this super-long battle in terms of physical demand. It’s not about playing long, I was able to play for a long time, it’s about the movement that I need to do to push him to the limit.”

Nadal also reflected on his relationship with the US Open, an event he won four times, and how New York felt early in his career. “I was a very emotional and intense player, a passionate player,” Nadal said.

“So I felt very close to that amazing energy that New York produces, and the night sessions especially were unforgettable.

“For some reason, you have places that you find yourself well and are comfortable. New York, at the beginning, I was not that comfortable.

“I worked hard to change that feeling and I achieved that feeling. At the end, I felt great every time I arrived there.”

Simone Vagnozzi offered a clear update on Jannik Sinner’s condition after the world No 1 experienced a mid-match physical concern in his US Open semi-final.

Sinner prevailed 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a hard-fought last-four encounter with 27th-ranked Felix Auger-Aliassime on Friday to set up a showdown with Carlos Alcaraz. He was broken for the only time in the match at 3-4 in the second set and left the court for a medical timeout. After returning, he won the third set decisively.

The four-time major winner had to fend off five break points across his first two service games in the fourth set before earning the crucial break of Auger-Aliassime’s serve in the fifth game.

Speaking to Super Tennis, Vagnozzi described the issue and expressed confidence ahead of Sunday’s final. “He just had a little abdominal discomfort at one point, but after treatment with the physiotherapist, it went away,” Vagnozzi said.

“When he came back, he wasn’t sure how he was doing in the first few games, so he didn’t push; then he started pushing and his serve got better and better. I think he’ll be fine for Sunday.

“Sometimes you’re tired and you don’t want to show it to your opponent. Today in the second set, his energy dropped a bit: if your opponent senses it, he can take advantage. You have to know how to mask emotions and physical situations a bit.

“During the match, we recommended a few more kicks to start the rally with an advantage. Then the abdominal discomfort complicated the situation; he felt more pain when throwing the ball back.

“Perhaps at a certain point he played too much [in the] centre and Aliassime was able to swing his forehand. It’s not easy to change heights against someone who serves and pushes so hard.”

Sinner reflected on the incident in his post-match remarks: “I just felt a small twitching after a serve when I served there in the second set on 4-3. After the treatment, was feeling much, much better.

“At some point, I didn’t feel anything anymore. I was serving back to normal pace, so it was all good. Nothing to worry about. But I preferred to go off court because it’s on a different spot. So it’s all good.”

The US Open final brings Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz together for a third straight Grand Slam meeting, the head-to-head locked at one win apiece. Alcaraz’s victory at the French Open and Sinner’s success at Wimbledon set the stage for a decisive clash that will shape the remainder of the season.

Sinner arrives in New York carrying the reputation of a near-unstoppable hard court player. The last man to beat him on a hard court was Carlos Alcaraz in China last October. Since then Sinner has extended his authority on the surface, striking the ball with exceptional power and reducing unforced errors to a minimum. That combination has made him extraordinarily difficult to dislodge.

At this US Open, Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime tested Sinner and at times forced him out of his comfort zone. In each case Sinner responded, producing the decisive blows when they mattered most. If he reproduces that level on final day, he looks capable of overwhelming Alcaraz.

Alcaraz remains the only player in the field with a sustained chance of stopping Sinner. His run to the French Open title included a dramatic final in which he saved match points and found a way to win under pressure. That resilience is central to any plan to upset Sinner.

To have a realistic chance, Alcaraz must stay close to Sinner from the outset and, if he falls behind, try to extend the contest. Long, gruelling matches have often favoured Alcaraz when the pair have met.

If Sinner wins in New York he will remain world No 1; if Alcaraz prevails he will return to the top of the rankings. The New York crowd may bolster Alcaraz, but the match appears likely to be decided by Sinner’s relentless defence of his title. Expect Sinner to take the trophy in four sets and to move closer to ending 2025 with three Grand Slams out of four, confirming his growing separation from the rest of the field.