PARIS: Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz delivered one of the most remarkable comebacks in French Open history on Sunday, saving three championship points to edge past Italy’s Jannik Sinner in a five-set final that will be remembered for its drama and endurance.
The 22-year-old came back from two sets down to win 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (10/2) after five hours and 29 minutes of intense play, claiming his fifth Grand Slam title in what became the longest final in Roland Garros history.
Alcaraz remained perfect in major finals, with five wins in as many appearances. Sunday’s victory also ended Sinner’s 20-match unbeaten streak at Grand Slams and added another chapter to the budding rivalry between the two rising stars of men’s tennis.
This marked the first time Alcaraz has overturned a two-set deficit, and it came in the most crucial setting — a Grand Slam final — against the world’s top-ranked player.
The match surpassed the previous record for the longest French Open final, set in 1982 when Mats Wilander defeated Guillermo Vilas in four hours and 42 minutes.
With this win, Alcaraz becomes the third youngest man to win five Grand Slam titles, following in the footsteps of tennis legends Bjorn Borg and Rafael Nadal.
For Jannik Sinner, it was a heartbreaking loss. The 22-year-old Italian was aiming for his third straight major title, having won the US Open in 2024 and Australian Open titles in 2024 and 2025. He was also bidding to become the first man from Italy to win Roland Garros since Adriano Panatta in 1976.
Despite holding three championship points, Sinner couldn’t close the deal and now trails 5-8 in his career head-to-head against Alcaraz, who also defeated him in last month’s Rome final. That match marked Sinner’s return to the tour after serving a three-month doping suspension.
Sunday’s showdown was also historic as the first Grand Slam final featuring two players born in the 2000s, signifying the dawn of a new era in men’s tennis.
