PARIS — Jannik Sinner stood at the precipice of making history at the French Open following an extraordinary performance over the two-week period on the clay courts of Roland-Garros. The Italian player showcased dominance throughout his campaign and found himself within reach of clinching his first French Open championship on Sunday.
Facing off against Carlos Alcaraz, who was the titleholder from the previous year, Sinner appeared to have the upper hand. Sinner’s potent groundstrokes, formidable service games, hefty top spin, and strategic shot variations placed immense pressure on Alcaraz. By the fourth set, Alcaraz trailed 5-3 and was dangerously behind at 0-40, confronted with three match points.
At that pivotal juncture, the 23-year-old Sinner seemed to be on the verge of triumph. However, a shift occurred as Alcaraz mounted a spirited counterattack. He saved the first match point when Sinner hit a forehand out of bounds. On the next point, a missed return by Sinner let Alcaraz off the hook again. He then clinched the third with a skillful baseline rally. It was a window of opportunity that slipped through Sinner’s grasp.
What followed was one of the most dramatic comebacks in the annals of Roland-Garros finales. Alcaraz emerged victorious after an intense 5-hour, 29-minute battle, the longest final the tournament has ever seen, with scores of 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2).
“It’s an amazing trophy, so I won’t sleep tonight very well, but it’s okay,” Sinner remarked during the trophy presentation ceremony.
This clash marked another thrilling chapter in what promises to be a classic rivalry between two of the current titans of tennis. Having collectively secured the last six Grand Slam titles, Sinner and Alcaraz seem set to carve out a legacy of captivating contests in the sport’s future. Sunday’s matchup was a spectacle of unparalleled intensity with grueling baseline rallies, precision drop shots, and dazzling passing shots that wowed the crowd at Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Reflecting on the heartbreaking defeat in his post-match press conference, Sinner sought to find the silver lining. “Obviously, this one hurts,” he admitted. “There’s not so much to say right now. But again, I’m happy with how we’re trying to improve every day and put myself in these kinds of positions. It was a very high-level match, that’s for sure. I’m happy to be part of it. But yeah, the final result hurts.”
The loss was particularly tough for Sinner, who had not lost a single set en route to the final, including a decisive victory in the semifinals over three-time French Open victor Novak Djokovic. Before confronting Alcaraz, Sinner had never been defeated in a Grand Slam final, having won his first three attempts. A win would have poised him alongside an elite group of men who have captured three consecutive major titles in the Open Era.
During the ceremony, Alcaraz had words of encouragement for his rival, saying, “I’m pretty sure you are going to be a champion, not once but many, many times. It is a privilege to share the court with you in every tournament, making history with you.”
Despite the setback, Sinner remains at the pinnacle of the rankings as world No. 1 and intends to draw support from his family and close allies in the aftermath of the loss. “Now it’s my time to take something from the close people I have,” Sinner stated. “As I’ve always said, before my career started, I never would’ve imagined finding myself in this position. It wasn’t even a dream because it felt so far away — I wasn’t even thinking about it. Now I find myself here, playing the longest final in the history of Roland-Garros. It hurts, yes, but on the other hand, you can’t go on crying.”