Steve Flink Breaks Down the US Open & Stories Defining Tennis in 2025

The 2025 US Open delivered everything tennis fans could hope for, from packed crowds and exhilarating finals to historic milestones and a festival feel in New York City. Over three weeks at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the sport’s history was front and center, all while history was being made.

Fan Week kicked things off with a new mixed doubles event that lured top singles names into the spotlight. “I think [it was] highly enjoyable to watch,” said Hall of Famer Steve Flink, though he admitted he preferred old-school serve and volleying. Still, he noted, “there’s no question how much joy [fans] got out of this event.” Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori proved chemistry mattered most, taking the inaugural title.

Photo credit: Dustin Satloff/USTA.

Even before the main draw began, the atmosphere was electric. Aryna Sabalenka fought through a tough three-setter, while Amanda Anisimova battled Naomi Osaka in a match that showed just how dangerous the American has become on big stages.

The men’s final brought the match everyone wanted to see, the latest iteration of Carlos Alcaraz versus Jannik Sinner. “They split all four majors this year, which is extraordinary,” Flink explained. Their US Open showdown was all Alcaraz. “The serve was really the anchor of his game… the main reason why he won this match quite so easily,” Flink said, noting Sinner’s serve percentage never gave him a chance.

Photo credit: © Rolex/Jon Buckle

On the women’s side, Sabalenka finally seized her moment. Flink admitted, “I thought Anisimova was gonna beat Sabalenka… she was so good in the quarters and semis.” But Sabalenka held firm, closing with a perfect tiebreak. “She’s now won 19 tiebreaks in a row. It’s utterly insane,” Flink marveled, adding that this victory continues to show her domination of women's tennis.

Taylor Townsend was another standout. She toppled Bianca Andreescu, pushed Barbora Krejcikova to the brink with eight match points, and reached the doubles final. “She could well have won that match in straight [sets]; instead she loses in three, but it’s still a great tournament,” Flink reflected. Townsend also handled Jelena Ostapenko’s handshake drama with class: “She didn’t want to exploit it, she didn’t want to milk it, she didn’t want to pile it on.”

Photo credit: pechterphotos.com.

Not every storyline was uplifting. Daniil Medvedev’s antics drew sharp criticism. Flink explains how Medvedev "showed total disregard for his opponent, which he usually doesn’t do." It seems to be a transition period for Medvedev with the decision to split with longtime coach Gilles Cervara. We hope to see Medvedev return to the form that had him win the US Open in 2021, just four years ago. 

The Open also paused to celebrate its history. ESPN’s tribute to Cliff Drysdale honored a broadcaster Flink called “one of the most generous, decent, honorable people in the sport.” Meanwhile, the USTA spotlighted the 75th anniversary of Althea Gibson breaking the color barrier. “She’s one of the really crucial figures in the history of women’s tennis, no doubt about that,” Flink said.

Photo credit: ITHOF.

And then there was Newport, where the Hall of Fame inducted Maria Sharapova and the Bryan Brothers. Serena Williams’ surprise speech for Sharapova was, as Flink put it, “the most gracious speech I’ve ever heard her give.” The Bryan twins closed with their father’s simple mantra: leave the campsite cleaner than you found it. Flink called it “one of the outstanding ceremonies I’ve ever seen.”

From Alcaraz’s ace to finish the men’s final, to Sabalenka’s record-breaking tiebreak streak, to Townsend’s resilience and Gibson’s legacy, the 2025 US Open was more than just a tournament. It was a celebration of the sport’s past, present, and future.

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Written by Alex Binstok. Top photo credit: © Rolex/Jed Jacobsohn.