In a fierce duel full of ups and downs more than five hours long on Sunday (8) in Paris, Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz got a historic turn by 3 sets to 2 to expand the unbeaten series against Italian Jannik Sinner and win the two -time championship of Roland Garros.
He became only the ninth tennis player of the open era (from 1968) of the sport becoming a Grand Slam final after losing the first two sets. Before him, Sinner himself was able to achieve the feat in the Australian Open final against Danil Medvedev in 2022.
With partials of 6/7 (5), 4/6, 6/3, 7.6 (3) and 7/6 (2), the final of 5 hours and 30 minutes in the French capital was the longest in the history of the competition. The record of over 40 years belonged to the duel between Mats Wilander and Guillermo Vilas in 1982, with 4 hours and 42 minutes.
The longest final of a Grand Slam was recorded in the 2012 Australian Open, when Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in five sets in 5 hours and 53 minutes match.
The vice-leader’s victory against the leader of the ATP (Association of Professional Tennismen) ranking this Sunday represents only the third time in the century when the champion of Roland Garros manages to defend his title after Gustavo Kuerten and Rafael Nadal.
This is the fifth trophy of a tournament of the Grand Slam category in the still short career of the 22 -year -old Spanish young man.
Former number 1 in the world, he has already won in the grass of Wimbledon twice (2023 and 2024) and the US Open’s quick court once (2022).
With the victory, Alcaraz has also prevented a Sinner title since the Italian returned to the courts at the end of May after serving suspension for doping.
In this Sunday’s match on the main block Philippe-Chatrier, after losing the first two sets (6/7 (5), 4/6) abusing unprecedented errors and starting the third, the Spaniard gave the impression that he could not repeat the same performance as last week at Rome Masters 1000 when he defeated Sinner to his domains by 2 sets to 0, applying a 6-1 on second set.
With a major reaction began from the end of the third set and packed with the support of the fans, Alcaraz won the following three sets (6/4, 7/6 (3) and 7/6 (0) to reach the fifth win against Sinner, expanding to 8 to 4 the advantage in the record between them.
The Spaniard had already won the duel between the two also in the 2024 Roland Garros semifinals, when he won his first French clay title, beating German Alexander Zverev in the decision.
In his speech on the dirt floor after receiving the trophies from the hands of André Agassi, champion of Roland Garros in 1999, Alcaraz thanked the support of the fans during his trajectory in the tournament.
“I always said that this tournament for me is really special. I can’t wait to come here year after year,” said the Spaniard.
This is the fourth title of Alcaraz this season, after the victories in Rome and the ATP 500 of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and the Monte Carlo Masters 1000.
Despite the defeat, the Italian should still maintain the lead in the ranking of ATP (Association of Professional Tennismen), with the difference for the vice-leader falling to about 2,000 points-point duty distributed to the champion of a Grand Slam.
Sinner sought the third Grand Slam in sequence in Paris – he won the US Open in late 2024 and Australian Open in early 2025 – and the first title since the return to the blocks after the three -month suspension by doping.
The Italian was suspended between February and May, after agreement with Wada (World Anti -Doping Agency) for positive tests for closet, synthetic substance derived from testosterone.
He claimed that he was contaminated by the physical therapist in a massage. The argument was accepted by the International Tennis Integrity Agency), which inceived the athlete. At the time, Wada turned to CAS (Arbitral Sports Court) asking for a major sentence, and Sinner eventually chose to close a deal to end the process.
The game
At the beginning of the first set, abusing unprecedented errors, both granted the opportunity to break the opponent, but managed to confirm their games using powerful withdrawals and winning blows. Until, in the fifth game, Alcaraz managed to break the Sinner service for the first time in the game, opening 3-2 in the first partial. Subsequently, the Italian returned the break, drawing 3-3. The two confirmed the following services, until, pulling 4-5, Alcaraz made a series of silly errors and allowed the new break, closing the set by 6 to 4.
At the beginning of the second set, the previous tune remained. Sinner, with confidence in the rise, and Alcaraz again making many mistakes, with little variation in plays and seeing the service be broken right in the second game.
Stretching the balls against the Spaniard and demonstrating the usual agility on the court in the exchange of points that the suspended period seems to have not disturbed, the Italian confirmed the looting without scares to the ninth game.
Putting 5-3 to close the set, however, Sinner saw a new return posture from the opponent by pressing his service, with Alcaraz returning the break.
At a better time from then on, betting more on short balls and with a more fierce stance, the ranking vice-leader tied and took the set to Tie-Break. In the tiebreaker, first -loot errors and in one left paved the way for Sinner to make an advantage and close at 7 to 4.
Entering packed to the third set, Sinner came back better and broke the Alcaraz service in the first game. The Spaniard did not lower the guard and not only returned the break in the next game but broke again in the room, opening 3 to 1 ahead. With the Spaniard pulling 5-3 to close the set, he saw the Italian break his service again, only to return the break without giving points and closing the set by 6 to 4.
In the more balanced fourth set, both had confirmed their games until 3-3, when Sinner got the first break from partial to open an important advantage. By withdrawing at 5-4 to close the match, the Italian stopped in a new reaction from Spaniard, which broke the service once again to draw 5-5. In the second tie-break of the game, Alcaraz was better, hit two aces to take the lead and close at 7 to 3.
In the fifth and decisive set, it was Alcaraz’s turn to impose the strongest rhythm and break Sinner’s game on the first game. With firm withdrawals and powerful scams from the bottom of the court, the Spaniard maintained the advantage until it withdrew to 5 to 4, when it was the Italian’s turn to break the service with a pair of winning balls and bring the dispute to Tie-Break. The Spaniard was dominant on the tiebreaker and gave no chance for any Italian reaction, closing the partial 10-2 and the game.
