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5 min read
Carlos Alcaraz wins Roland Garros, completing historic comeback from
two sets down to defeat Jannik Sinner in men’s final
By Jamie Barton, CNN
Updated:
4:27 PM EDT, Sun June 8, 2025
Source: CNN
mounted an extraordinary comeback to win the men’s final at Roland
Garros on Sunday, defeating world No. 1 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6
(2).
In the longest final in tournament history, the Spaniard demonstrated
incredible resolve to fend off three championship points for Sinner in
the fourth set and somehow go on to win in a fifth-set tiebreaker, the
first ever time that any man has pulled off such a feat at Roland
Garros, according to broadcaster TNT Sports.
Five and a half hours after he faced Sinner’s first serve of the
match, Alcaraz faced the Italian’s last, playing a terrific passing
shot down the line before dropping to the floor as much of the raucous
crowd at Court Philippe-Chatrier celebrated a victory it would never
forget.
“I just want to say thank you for everything (to) my team, my
family,” said the Spaniard afterward. “I have the privilege to be
able to live great things with you. … This trophy is yours as
well.”
“This tournament for me is really, really special,” he added. “I
can’t wait to come here year after year.”
Alcaraz has now won his fifth major title aged 22 years, one month and
three days old, the exact same age his hero Rafael Nadal was when he
won his fifth at Wimbledon in 2008.
But the world No. 2 has never won any of them quite like this. Even the
endless parade of records this match set doesn’t quite do justice to
the remarkable tennis on display.
This was the second longest grand slam final in the Open Era; Alcaraz
is just the sixth player ever to come back from two sets down to win a
French Open final; and the Spaniard is also the youngest player to win
two straight men’s singles titles in Paris since Nadal, the King of
Clay, won four in a row between 2005 and 2008.
Sinner and Alcaraz have long been billed as the next great rivalry in
tennis but, until Sunday, they had never met in a grand slam final.
In the buildup, there was a sense that this matchup represented the
first of a new era for men’s tennis and, if this was indeed the first
glimpse of a new age, then tennis fans are in for a rollercoaster of a
decade.
Alcaraz landed the first blow when, in the fifth game, he broke Sinner,
converting his seventh break point. But the Italian replied with his
own break instantly before Alcaraz had to delay play as he appeared to
have something in his eye.
When he returned to the court, still touching his eye, he looked out of
sorts. Just over three minutes later, he had been broken again, and
Sinner was one set up.
The second set continued in similar fashion and Alcaraz found himself
4-1 down, his occasionally wild shots contrasting those of his
metronomic opponent.
The 22-year-old recovered to force a tiebreak, but his efforts were
ultimately in vain; suddenly, he would have to do something he had
never done before – come back from two sets down to win a grand slam
match.
When the Spaniard failed to hold his serve in the first game of the
third set, such a comeback seemed impossible. Less than 15 minutes
later, however, Alcaraz had broken back twice and led the third set
3-1.
Before much longer he was serving for the set. Sinner had other ideas,
striking back with a strong forehand to put things back on serve. But
Alcaraz was not to be denied this time, breaking back instantly to
ensure the Italian lost a grand slam set for the first time since the
fourth round of the Australian Open five months ago.
It looked like Sinner had finally struck the decisive blow when he
broke his opponent for the sixth time to go 4-3 up in the fourth set,
before going 0-40 up on Alcaraz’s serve with the score at 3-5. Sinner
had three championship points, it looked like it was all over for
Alcaraz.
Cue one of the greatest comebacks of the Open era.
Alcaraz won the next five points to pull off a clutch hold, followed by
eight of the next nine. Sinner forced a tiebreak, but the Spaniard had
the momentum now and recovered from a mini-break to force a fifth set.
When the 22-year-old broke Sinner in the very first game of the
decisive set, it looked like his grit and determination had trumped his
opponent’s poise and technique. But, with Alcaraz serving for the
championship, there was another twist when Sinner showed that he too
could hang in the match, breaking back with apparent ease.
An astonishing match would need a third tiebreak to settle it, and it
was Alcaraz, after five hours and 29 minutes, who was able to perform
when he needed to most, winning the first seven points before rounding
it off 10-2.
It was about as close a final as you could see – Sinner actually
outscored his opponent by 193 points to 192, but it was Alcaraz who was
able to land the decisive blow.
“I want to start with Jannik, it is amazing, the level you have,”
the Spaniard said afterward. “I know the hard work you’re putting
in every day, it is huge… I’m pretty sure you’re going to be
champion not once but many, many times. It’s a privilege to share the
court with you.”
“I’m just really, really happy to be able to make history with you
in this tournament, in other tournaments, you’re a huge inspiration
for everyone, myself included, so good luck and all the best for
what’s coming,” he added.
Sinner – who achieved the unwanted record of becoming the first
player in the Open era to win his first 20 sets of a men’s singles
grand slam event and not win the title – looked understandably
shellshocked afterward.
“It’s easier to play than talking now,” he said following his
first ever loss at a major final. “My team, obviously thank you so
much for putting me in this position. We tried our best today. We gave
everything we had.”
“I won’t sleep tonight very well but it’s ok,” he added.
This story has been updated with additional developments.
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