In a historic and exhausting display of resilience and talent, Carlos Alcaraz claimed his second consecutive French Open title on Sunday, outlasting Jannik Sinner in a five-set thriller that stretched over five and a half hours.
The final scoreline read 4-6, 6-7(7), 6-4, 7-6(4), 7-6(2), marking an extraordinary comeback from two sets down.
The Roland-Garros final lived up to its billing, pitting the tournament’s top two seeds against each other in a match destined to be remembered as one of the sport’s classics.
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Despite falling behind early, Alcaraz battled back in stunning fashion, showcasing his trademark grit and ability to thrive under pressure.
Sinner started strong, capitalizing on early opportunities to secure the first set 6-4. He carried that momentum into the second, surging to a 4-1 lead. Though Alcaraz mounted a spirited comeback to level the set at 5-5, the Italian held firm, ultimately edging out the tiebreak 9-7 to take a two-set lead.
Undeterred, Alcaraz responded with a composed third set, controlling rallies and regaining the crowd’s favor with dazzling shot-making. He secured the set 6-4, keeping his hopes of defending the title alive.
The fourth set saw relentless back-and-forth action, with Sinner initially grabbing a 5-3 lead and holding three championship points. But Alcaraz refused to fold, reeling off three straight games to go up 6-5 and denying Sinner at every turn. Though Sinner pushed it to another tiebreak, Alcaraz held firm to level the match at two sets apiece with a 7-4 breaker win.
As the contest edged past the four-hour mark—making it the longest match in Roland-Garros finals history and among the top three longest men’s title matches in the Open Era—Sinner appeared physically drained. Yet, he summoned the energy to push the final set to the limit, briefly leading 6-5. But Alcaraz, unwavering in his pursuit, forced a decisive tiebreaker once more.
There, the young Spaniard left no doubt. Dominating the final points, he closed the match with a 10-2 triumph in the tiebreak to lift his fifth Grand Slam trophy and cement his legacy as one of tennis’s premier fighters.
Now boasting a remarkable 13-1 record in five-set matches, Alcaraz continues to thrive in marathon battles. Sinner, in contrast, fell to 0-7 in matches lasting over four hours, despite his tenacity and early dominance.
This unforgettable clash of endurance, skill, and willpower was not just a test of physical strength, but a showcase of mental fortitude. As the dust settles in Paris, one thing is clear: Carlos Alcaraz has further solidified his place among the elite of men’s tennis, while Jannik Sinner, despite the loss, proved once again that he belongs on the sport’s biggest stages.
