Carlos Alcaraz delivered a jaw-dropping performance on Sunday, clawing his way back from two sets down to defeat Jannik Sinner in a dramatic and unforgettable French Open final.
The 22-year-old Spaniard, who came into the match as the defending champion, saved three championship points and ultimately triumphed 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (10/2) in a nail-biting contest that lasted five hours and 29 minutes.
With the win, Alcaraz secured his fifth Grand Slam title, maintaining his perfect record in major finals. The match also saw him end Sinner’s 20-match unbeaten streak in Grand Slam play.
It marked the first time in his career that Alcaraz had overturned a two-set deficit — a feat he achieved on one of tennis’s biggest stages, in what has now become the longest final in Roland Garros history, surpassing the 1982 clash where Mats Wilander beat Guillermo Vilas in 4 hours and 42 minutes.
Alcaraz now stands as the third youngest male player to win five Grand Slam titles, joining legends Bjorn Borg and Rafael Nadal in that elite category. The match was also historic as it was the first time two players born in the 2000s met in a Grand Slam final.
Sinner, who was aiming for his third consecutive major title following victories at the US Open and Australian Open, came within touching distance of the trophy but fell just short in a heart-wrenching defeat.
This loss marks his fifth consecutive defeat to Alcaraz, who now leads their head-to-head rivalry 8-5. Their most recent battle before Paris came in Rome, where Alcaraz also triumphed, in Sinner’s first tournament back after serving a three-month suspension.
