Carlos Alcaraz beats Jannik Sinner to win French Open final

Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner to win the French Open final, wrapping up two weeks of world-class tennis in the French capital. Following an already memorable women’s final on Saturday, where world number two Coco Gauff triumphed over number one Aryna Sabalenka in a third set, the men’s #1 versus #2 matchup promised a Sunday filled with spectacle.

Sinner had soared through his arguably harder side of the draw, beating an in-form Djokovic in the semi-finals, reaching the final Sunday without losing a single set. Alcaraz, meanwhile, had dropped 4 sets against 4 opponents, and seemed to be trailing Sinner in focus and quality.

He eventually broke Alcaraz’s serve late in the set, setting the two titans at 5–5 as the clock ticked over, making the match the longest in French Open history

Sinner’s momentum and serving prowess saw him take the first two sets of the final. Alcaraz responded with a 6–4 win in the third set, setting up a tense fourth, where Sinner found himself with six championship points. His best position, at 40–0 at 5–3 games, looked like he had secured his fourth major title, bringing him level with Alcaraz. But Alcaraz rallied from this now infamous boxscore and continued his famous comeback.

The Spaniard started the fifth deciding set strongly, breaking Sinner’s first service game. Sinner managed to create two solid break opportunities, only missing out on his first breakpoint due to an umpiring error (Roland Garros remains the only ATP tournament on the calendar without electronic line calls). He eventually broke Alcaraz’s serve late in the set, setting the two titans at 5–5 as the clock ticked over, making the match the longest in French Open history.

This marks Alcaraz’s fifth Grand Slam title and the sixth consecutive Slam won by either Sinner or himself

With more than five hours of tennis under their belts, Sinner held serve, and Alcaraz battled back to hold his in one of the most impressive final games ever seen on clay, salvaging points with a ridiculous display and reliance and athleticism only a champions possess. Alcaraz took this momentum into the first-ever championship tiebreak in Roland Garros history, winning handily 10–2 with a clean forehand to once again break Sinner’s serve.

This marks Alcaraz’s fifth Grand Slam title and the sixth consecutive Slam won by either Sinner or himself, cementing the Sinner–Alcaraz era. Sinner won a total of 193 points to Alcaraz’s 192, displaying just how close the two Nike-sponsored men are in quality and skill.

This sets up a legendary matchup at Wimbledon later this summer. Alcaraz will be vying for his third consecutive win on grass, and Sinner will be desperate for revenge after this emotional loss on Philippe Chatrier. The Italian will want to build on his successful 2024 season, having already won the Australian Open. He can still win three of the four Slams on offer, and will be Alcaraz and Djokovic’s biggest challenger on the grass this summer in England.