Carlos Alcaraz produced an astonishing comeback from two sets down to defeat Jannik Sinner in an unforgettable French Open final on Sunday.
The reigning champion battled for five hours and 29 minutes to overcome world number one Sinner 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(10-2), clinching his fifth Grand Slam title in what became the longest Roland Garros final in history.
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Alcaraz, 22, remains unbeaten in Grand Slam finals, extending his perfect record to 5-0 and halting Sinner’s 20-match winning streak at majors.
“This was the most exciting match I’ve played so far, without a doubt,” said Alcaraz. “The match had everything. Today was all about believing in myself — I never doubted and just went for it. Real champions are made in those situations.”
The Spaniard completed the first two-set comeback of his career, saving three match points while trailing 5-3 in the fourth set, a feat that underscores his mental resilience.
Alcaraz is now the first man to win a Grand Slam title after saving match points since Novak Djokovic defeated Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2019. In the Open Era, only Gaston Gaudio (2004 Roland Garros) and Djokovic had accomplished that before.
For Sinner, it was a heartbreaking end to a stellar run. The 22-year-old Italian was on the brink of capturing a third straight major, following triumphs at the 2023 US Open and 2024 Australian Open.
“It’s easier to play than to talk now,” a devastated Sinner admitted. “I won’t sleep well tonight, but it’s OK. We try to delete this somehow, take the positives, and keep going. There are no other ways. It hurts, but you can’t keep crying.”
The loss marked Sinner’s fifth straight defeat to Alcaraz and came in their first Grand Slam final meeting, a historic showdown as the first major final between two players born in the 2000s.
