{"id":1821,"date":"2025-09-10T19:20:25","date_gmt":"2025-09-10T17:20:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/?p=1821"},"modified":"2025-09-10T19:20:25","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T17:20:25","slug":"us-open-finals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/2025\/09\/10\/us-open-finals\/","title":{"rendered":"US Open &#8211; Finals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>\ud83c\udfbe <strong>US Open 2025 Finals Recap: Alcaraz and Sabalenka Reign Supreme in New York<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The final weekend of the 2025 US Open was a celebration of dominance, resilience, and the emergence of modern tennis dynasties. Under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka etched their names deeper into tennis history with commanding performances in their respective finals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udfc6 Men\u2019s Final: Carlos Alcaraz Defeats Jannik Sinner in a Rivalry for the Ages<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Carlos Alcaraz captured his second US Open title and sixth Grand Slam overall by defeating Jannik Sinner in four sets: <strong>6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Alcaraz came out firing, breaking Sinner early and taking the first set in just 37 minutes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sinner responded with grit, claiming the second set and threatening to push the match into a marathon.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>But Alcaraz\u2019s variety\u2014drop shots, blistering forehands, and net play\u2014proved too much. He broke Sinner four times in the final set and sealed the win with an ace.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This victory marked Alcaraz\u2019s second Grand Slam win of the year (after Roland Garros) and his seventh win in their last eight meetings. With this triumph, he also reclaimed the World No. 1 ranking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udc51 Women\u2019s Final: Aryna Sabalenka Defends Her Crown Against Amanda Anisimova<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Aryna Sabalenka became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to win back-to-back US Open titles, defeating Amanda Anisimova <strong>6-3, 7-6(3)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Anisimova started strong, using sharp angles and deep forehands to keep Sabalenka on the move.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sabalenka, however, stayed composed and adjusted her game, mixing power with finesse and exploiting Anisimova\u2019s 29 unforced errors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The second set saw Anisimova rally from 3-5 to lead 6-5, but Sabalenka held firm and dominated the tiebreak.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Sabalenka\u2019s win was her fourth career Grand Slam and solidified her status as the most consistent force on hard courts. She now boasts a 21-1 record in tiebreaks this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udf89 Final Thoughts: A New Era of Tennis Royalty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With Alcaraz and Sabalenka both defending their dominance and showcasing elite mental toughness, the 2025 US Open finals weren\u2019t just matches\u2014they were statements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Alcaraz vs. Sinner is now the defining rivalry in men\u2019s tennis.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sabalenka continues to set the standard for power and poise in the women\u2019s game.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Amanda Anisimova, despite the loss, has now reached two Grand Slam finals in 2025 and is poised for future glory.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As the curtain falls on this year\u2019s US Open, one thing is clear: the future of tennis is thrilling, and it\u2019s already here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Onto the Fantasy Leaderboard:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In 1st place is &#8216;Quick-Picks&#8217;. <\/strong>Once they moved to the top they were impossible to chase down and many tried to chase them down. They were the only team to breach the 300 points mark in the US Open fantasy league and ended up with the best team of ladies along with 2 other teams. A remarkable performance from Wendell Wessels who was the owner of the team who wins his very first Fantasy League title. He will also take home <strong>R1000<\/strong> for his efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In 2nd place <\/strong>remained &#8216;<strong>Fine Whines<\/strong>&#8216;. This team is not a stranger at the top of a fantasy leaderboard as they won the US Open 2023 fantasy league on the very last day of the tournament. This time round they couldn&#8217;t catch up the difference to 1st place and had to settle for 2nd. They ended 8 points behind the leader and 6 points ahead of 3rd so overall a brilliant performance. Aurette Sneyders will take home <strong>R500 <\/strong>for their efforts. She also finished with the best team of ladies alongside &#8216;Quick-Picks&#8217; and &#8216;Obies&#8217;. The 8 point gap was all in the men they picked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In 3rd Spot was &#8216;Oingo Boingo&#8217;. <\/strong>Unlike the top 2 they had moved around a lot in this tournament and was not at the top for a long period of time. They hovered inside the top 20 and made their move late. Once they made their move they quickly jumped into 3rd spot. Unfortunately they could not close the gap to the top 2 and had to settle for 3rd. Well done to <strong>Graeme <\/strong>for taking 3rd and taking home <strong>R350<\/strong>. A very consistent year for Graeme, can he continue the form in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In 4th spot was &#8216;Trumped&#8217;. <\/strong>Now if &#8216;Oingo Boingo&#8217; in 3rd left it late then &#8216;Trumped&#8217; went into overtime to take 4th place. He sat 6th before the finals and moved up 2 spots to take home a prize. Congratulations to Sean Reilly who will take home <strong>R250.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the last prize position finished &#8216;<strong>Drop Shot like it&#8217;s Hot<\/strong>&#8216;. They would&#8217;ve had their heart in their mouth at the end of this tournament as they had 3rd spot for a long time but moved down to 4th late on and now ended in 5th. <strong>Anuschka <\/strong>managed to end with the best team of males and this aided in her keeping a prize position. She will be taking home <strong>R150 <\/strong>for finishing in 5th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Lucky Prizes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The luck prizes were all won outright and no random generator was needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In 21st spot <\/strong>finished &#8216;<strong>Ally Cats<\/strong>&#8216;. This team was having a great tournament until the finals where they dropped 13 spots. However this has put them in a lucky prize position. Therefore <strong>Don Hugo <\/strong>will be taking home <strong>R50.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In 28th spot <\/strong>finished <strong>My Dream Team. <\/strong>A bad end to the tournament meant &#8216;Dropshots&#8217; dropped 10 places moving &#8216;My Dream Team&#8217; up a spot and into a prize position. <strong>Cathy Parker <\/strong>will take home <strong>R50.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In 43rd spot and 69th spot <\/strong>is <strong>Mike Parker. <\/strong>I am not sure how much luck you need so I am going to put it down to skill. &#8216;Route 66&#8217; finished in 43rd spot after dropping 3 spots on the final 2 days and &#8216;Satchmo&#8217; dropped a spot and finished in 69th. A <strong>R100 <\/strong>to Mike Parker congratulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The last prize position is 54th spot and this was won by <strong>Bounce Back owned by the one and only Audrey Hugo. <\/strong>Congratulations to <strong>Audrey <\/strong>as she will take home <strong>R50.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Final Leaderboard:<\/strong><br>Reminder on colours:<br><strong>Blue -&gt; Picked both winners (Alcaraz and Sabalenka)<\/strong><br><strong>Yellow -&gt; Picked either Alcaraz or Sabalenka<\/strong><br><strong>Red -&gt; Picked neither Alcaraz nor Sabalenka<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"744\" src=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Final-Top-Half.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1823\" srcset=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Final-Top-Half.png 683w, http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Final-Top-Half-275x300.png 275w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Top Half<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"645\" height=\"727\" src=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Final-Bottom-Half.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1824\" srcset=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Final-Bottom-Half.png 645w, http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Final-Bottom-Half-266x300.png 266w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bottom Half<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>The Winning Team &#8211; Quick-Picks (Wendell Wessels)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"288\" height=\"374\" src=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Quick-Pick-Team.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1825\" srcset=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Quick-Pick-Team.png 288w, http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Quick-Pick-Team-231x300.png 231w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 288px) 100vw, 288px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>The Best Team of Males<\/strong> &#8211; <strong>Won by 5th spot<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"403\" height=\"234\" src=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Best-Team-of-Males.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1826\" style=\"width:389px;height:auto\" srcset=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Best-Team-of-Males.png 403w, http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Best-Team-of-Males-300x174.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 403px) 100vw, 403px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>The Best Team of Ladies<\/strong> &#8211; Same team picked by Obies, Fine Whines and Quick-Pick<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"272\" height=\"149\" src=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Best-Team-of-Ladies-Fine-Whines.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1827\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>The Dream Team<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"299\" height=\"345\" src=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Best-Team-of-US-Open-2025.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1828\" srcset=\"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Best-Team-of-US-Open-2025.png 299w, http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/Best-Team-of-US-Open-2025-260x300.png 260w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 299px) 100vw, 299px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Special Mentions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Djokovic &#8211; 36 points<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Musetti &#8211; 34 points<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>De Minaur &#8211; 30 points<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lehecka &#8211; 27 points<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pegula &#8211; 42 points<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Swiatek, Townsend &#8211; 28 points<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Krejcikova &#8211; 27 points<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you to everyone who has supported the fantasy league for another year. I love looking for ways to keep it exciting for you guys. We will certainly be back for another edition of the fantasy league in 2026. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\ud83c\udfbe US Open 2025 Finals Recap: Alcaraz and Sabalenka Reign Supreme in New York The final weekend of the 2025 US Open was a celebration of dominance, resilience, and the emergence of modern tennis dynasties. Under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka etched their names deeper into tennis history [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1822,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1821","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-us-open-2025"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1821","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1821"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1821\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1829,"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1821\/revisions\/1829"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1822"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1821"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1821"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/eishonline.co.za\/jftl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1821"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}