Palmer

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There was an element of truth to the gag Carlos Alcaraz made as he clutched his latest Grand Slam trophy.

After beating Jannik Sinner to the US Open title, Alcaraz joked he is spending too much time with his Italian rival.

"I'm seeing you more than my family," grinned Alcaraz as he addressed Sinner during his on-court victory speech.

Alcaraz and Sinner have contested five different finals this season - including the trophy matches at the past three majors - as their grip on the ATP Tour shows no sign of slowing down.

Alarmingly for the rest watching on, they are continuing to push each other to greater heights.

The pair also cannot help bumping into each other off-court - Spaniard Alcaraz ran into his rival twice at Manhattan dining spots over the past fortnight in New York.

"I give 100% every day to improve, sitting down with the team to see what I can do better to beat Jannik and win these kind of trophies," Alcaraz said.

"Having this rivalry means a lot - it is super special for me, for him and for the people who enjoy every it single time we play."

When Sinner triumphed in the Wimbledon final two months ago, Alcaraz was made acutely aware of what he needed to do to ensure the same did not happen in New York.

Alcaraz and coach Juan Carlos Ferrero instantly identified what they needed to fix - but are keeping it a secret.

"For sure, Simone [Vagnozzi, Sinner's coach] will hear," said Ferrero shortly after his charge's victory.

Alcaraz was the outstanding player at Flushing Meadows, not dropping a set until the final, and was virtually impregnable on serve.

The way in which the 22-year-old regained the US Open title and number one ranking has been a product of the intense work he has done to develop his game.

At the start of the year, Alcaraz and Ferrero highlighted the importance of improving his serve.