Sunday’s French Open men’s final marked the first time in over three decades that two players aged 23 or under contested the title.
A major final clash between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, two of the world’s top players, promised excitement.
Even the most optimistic observers were unprepared for the ensuing spectacle. Over five hours and 29 minutes, a breathtaking match unfolded.
Spain’s Alcaraz mounted a remarkable comeback, overcoming a two-set deficit and saving three championship points to successfully defend his French Open title in a dramatic fifth-set tie-break.
Alcaraz became only the third man in the Open Era (since 1968) to win a major final after saving a championship point.
This victory marked Alcaraz’s fifth major triumph, adding to the six major titles he and Italy’s world number one, Sinner, have shared in recent years.
The record-breaking final, the longest French Open final in history, featured two players born in the 2000s for the first time in a Grand Slam men’s final.
The match served as definitive proof of a new era in men’s tennis.
Sunday’s five-hour, 29-minute epic surpassed the previous record holder, the 1982 final, which lasted four hours and 47 minutes.
For over two decades, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer dominated men’s tennis.
However, Djokovic, the only active member of the “Big Three,” suggested his latest French Open bid might have been his last after his semi-final defeat to Sinner. He hinted at possible retirement from the tournament.
The electrifying Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry in Paris provided a clear answer to the question of who would succeed the “Big Three”.
Seven-time major champion Mats Wilander, winner of the previous longest Roland Garros final (1982), commented on TNT Sports: “Federer and Nadal played some great finals, but nothing comes close to this. The pace was superhuman.”
“These are two of the best athletes imaginable, and they’re tennis players. I’m rarely speechless, but what a day.”
This major final marked the first meeting between these two prominent ATP Tour players.
Italy’s Sinner, after a three-month doping suspension (February-May), demonstrated remarkable consistency, losing only 10 of 121 matches since September 2023. However, half of those losses came against Alcaraz in their five most recent encounters. In fact, all three of his losses in his past 50 matches were to Alcaraz.
“Every rivalry is unique,” Sinner noted. “The past generations played a different style. Now it’s incredibly physical. I’ve been fortunate to play against Novak and Rafa; beating them requires immense effort. The same feeling applies to Carlos and others; it’s exceptional.”
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Alcaraz, who will defend his Wimbledon title in three weeks, now holds an 8-4 head-to-head lead over Sinner.
His flawless Grand Slam singles final record (5-0) ended Sinner’s bid for a third consecutive Grand Slam title and a 20-match winning streak.
“Every match against him is crucial,” Alcaraz stated. “This was our first Grand Slam final; hopefully not the last. Our matches always elevate our performance. To win Grand Slams, you must defeat the best.”
With Alcaraz and Sinner winning seven of the past eight Slams (only interrupted by Djokovic’s 24th major at the 2023 US Open), it remains uncertain whether other players can break their dominance.
L’Équipe’s Monday headline declared: ‘Five Hours, 29 Minutes of Legend.’
Alcaraz mirrored his idol, Rafael Nadal (a 14-time Roland Garros champion), winning his fifth major at precisely the same age: 22 years, one month, and three days.
Sinner became the youngest player to reach three consecutive Grand Slam singles finals since Pete Sampras in 1994.
These statistics underscore their impressive trajectory.
What’s next for their rivalry? Both must defend their titles at the remaining 2025 Slams – Alcaraz at Wimbledon and Sinner at the US Open.
Alcaraz, with more career titles (20-19), has narrowed Sinner’s world ranking points lead to 2,030.
However, Alcaraz must defend 2,000 points at Wimbledon, compared to Sinner’s 400 (after a quarter-final exit last year).
“He’ll learn from this and return stronger,” Alcaraz predicted. “I’ll also analyze how to improve and exploit weaknesses in his game. I won’t win forever; continuous learning is key.”
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