Carlos Alcaraz delivered one of the greatest comebacks in French Open history, rallying from two sets down and saving three match points to defeat Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2) in an instant classic on Sunday. With the victory, the 22-year-old Spaniard claimed his second consecutive Roland-Garros title and fifth Grand Slam trophy — maintaining a perfect record in major finals.
The match, which lasted a grueling 5 hours and 29 minutes, is now the longest French Open final in the Open Era. It surpassed Alcaraz’s 2024 comeback win against Alexander Zverev and mirrored Novak Djokovic’s famous 2021 rally from two sets down in the same tournament.
“I’m just proud. I’m really, really happy,” Alcaraz said during the trophy ceremony. Turning to Sinner, he added: “I know how hard you are chasing this tournament. You’re going to be a champion, not just once, but many times. It’s a privilege to share the court with you.”
The final was Sinner’s first appearance in a Grand Slam title match — and his fifth consecutive loss to Alcaraz. Despite the disappointment, the Italian delivered a formidable performance that pushed the Spaniard to his physical and mental limits.
Alcaraz had to dig deep. After trailing by two sets and facing a match point nearly four hours into the contest, he clawed his way back, eventually taking the fourth set in a tense tiebreaker. At 5-4 in the final set, he served for the championship — only for Sinner to produce a breathtaking drop shot return that forced yet another twist in the marathon.
The momentum swung again as Alcaraz, backed by a raucous Parisian crowd, held firm under pressure and forced a deciding super tie-break at 6-6. He raced to a 4-0 lead with dazzling winners and finished the job with a crisp forehand pass down the line.
The young champion dropped to the clay in celebration before sprinting over to embrace his team.
