Carlos Alcaraz pulled off an unforgettable comeback in the French Open final. He knocked out Jannik Sinner at Roland Garros Sunday. The incredible contest lasted an incredible five hours, 29 minutes. This brutal battle was the first of its kind in tennis history, becoming the longest ever final played at the French Open and second-longest Grand Slam final in history.
Alcaraz was down a two-set deficit for the first time in his career. He displayed phenomenal character and fight, saving three match points to earn the title. He won the match in the end by 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6. This win not only adds to Alcaraz’s growing accolades but cements his position as a leading figure in men’s tennis alongside Sinner.
What transpired that day was a thrilling testament to the dazzling talent and remarkable competitiveness of both players. Since that very first meeting, Alcaraz has won five straight matches against Sinner and leads their all-time head-to-head record 8-4. Sinner came into the French Open as the defending champion of the last two Grand Slams. As with so many challenges faced by Alcaraz, his doggedness broke his opponent this time.
Both players have crushed the Grand Slam circuit so far, winning the last six majors combined between the two. Starting from the 2023 Beijing Open, Sinner has put together an incredible run of 111-10. Half of those losses came at the hands of Alcaraz. Indeed, all three of Sinner’s defeats in his past 50 matches have come at the hands of Alcaraz.
The final pair were a demonstration of brilliant footwork. It was an ominous reminder of the changing face of men’s tennis. Tennis legends like John McEnroe and Boris Becker have expressed strong opinions on the current level of play exhibited by Alcaraz and Sinner. McEnroe stated that either player would be favored to beat Rafael Nadal if they brought their best game to the court, asserting that “you would make a serious argument with both guys that they would be favored to beat Nadal, at his best.”
Boris Becker added his two cents, telling Eurosport that Alcaraz and Sinner were playing “at new level of the game.” It’s at the level that’s exactly what the Big Three—Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic—used to do.
In looking back at the historic match, Alcaraz was recognizing how heavy this emotional win turned out to be.
“To put it into words is really difficult. Being two sets to love down against the No. 1 in the world, the level Jannik was playing at was unbelievable.” – Carlos Alcaraz
The future of men’s tennis is in good hands with these two rising stars at the forefront. McEnroe remarked on the current state of tennis, stating, “These two guys right now, it’s like when you watch the NBA and you say nobody could be better than Michael Jordan. The tennis level right now is higher than I’ve ever seen.”
McEnroe conceded to their incredible talents as players and their incredible accomplishments. He muted hopes as to their chances of repeating the big three’s unprecedented success, stressing the difficulty given the present depth and competitive nature of men’s tennis.
As Alcaraz celebrates this defining moment in his career, both he and Sinner are poised to continue their rivalry and contribute to an exciting era in tennis. Their performances at Roland Garros set the hearts of the public, and the standards to which all future generations of players are held, aflame.
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