After coming back from a staggering deficit to best Jannik Sinner, 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 5-6(2), Carlos Alcaraz is now a two-time champion of the French Open men’s singles title in 2025. The jaw dropping match is being called one of the greatest finals in any grand slam tournament.
This has put a stamp of over five hours and twenty nine minutes on the match clock which extends the limit of the longest French Open Final at 5 hours 29 minutes, stretching its edit as the longest Grand Slam Final in the modern era. It surpassed the 2012 Australian Open final featuring Djokovic and Nadal as the single remaining instance of longer duration.
A Match for the Ages
From the beginning, the battle between the top two players in the world was tantalizing. Sinner, the new World, the first, was chasing down history- his third Grand Slam title in a row, having won both the Australian and US Opens. Alcaraz, the defending champion and World the second, was trying to add to his major singles titles by winning his second consecutive Roland Garros title with four majors already under his belt. It was set up to be a classic, and the two young stars provided that.
Sinner started well, his powerful and accurate groundstrokes and great movement dictating play. He took the first set 6-4 and, after a nervy second set, pocketed a tiebreak 7-6(4) to be up two sets to love. At this point, it seemed Sinner was about to assert his dominance in men’s tennis.
Alcaraz, seeking inspiration from one of his idols, Rafael Nadal, would not relent. Alcaraz crawled his way back into the match after taking the third set 6-4. The fourth set was nothing short of dramatic: Sinner led 5-3 in the fourth set and had three championship points on Alcaraz’s serve at 0-40, but Alcaraz scored an unlikely break of serve escaping all three match points and turned it into a tiebreak, which he won 7-6(3).
The fifth set continued this dramatic theme. Alcaraz led 5-3 and served for the championship, but Sinner broke him once again to help push it to a super tiebreak. In the super tiebreak, Alcaraz pushed ahead 7-0 leading before ultimately closing it out to win it 10-2, flopping down on the clay in jubilation.
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Aftermath and Reactions
Alcaraz’s victory marked his fifth Grand Slam title in as many finals appearances, an extraordinary feat for a 22-year-old. He now leads Sinner 9-4 in their head-to-head rivalry and has won their last five encounters.
After the match, Alcaraz was visibly emotional, praising Sinner and acknowledging the effort his rival put into the tournament: “I’m just proud. I’m just really, really happy… You’re going to be champion, not once, but many, many times. It’s a privilege to share the court with you in every tournament, making this story with you”.
Sinner, who suffered his first loss in a Grand Slam final, was gracious in defeat but clearly heartbroken. “I’m very happy for you, you deserve it, so congrats. It’s an amazing match, so I won’t sleep very well tonight, but it’s OK,” he said.Sinner later revealed he was hurt by the loss and would try to “delete” the match from his memory.
Records from the match:
| Category | Details/Statistic |
| Final Score | Alcaraz d. Sinner 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2) |
| Match Duration | 5 hours, 29 minutes (longest French Open final in history) |
| Notable Comeback | Alcaraz from two sets down for the first time |
The Legacy of the Rivalry
The tournament was guaranteed to be the first grand slam final for Alcaraz and Sinner but would likely not be their last. Their rivalry is already producing some of the best tennis matches of the past decade and Sunday’s final at Roland Garros confirmed they are rising stars of tennis. The resilience, spirit and sportsmanship shown by both players so far makes a historic rivalry to be long remembered.
Conclusion
Alcaraz’ victory over Sinner in the final of the 2025 French Open was not just Carlos’ victory, but a victory for tennis. The match represented everything that tennis has to offer: drama, skill, and an indefatigable will to win. As Alcaraz and Sinner continue to push each other to new heights, tennis fans will be treated to many more moments of magic between these two amazing players in their developing rivalry.
Written By Smita Singh
