Carlos Alcaraz saves three match points to stop Jannik Sinner and retain French Open
Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, holds the trophy after winning the men's singles final match against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 8, 2025.
Photo:
AFP / Julien de Rosa
Carlos Alcaraz fought back from the brink to outlast top seed Jannik Sinner 4-6 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(10-2) in a French Open final for the ages on Sunday (French time) to retain his crown and cement his status as the Prince of Clay in Roland Garros' post-Rafa Nadal era.
In a scintillating showdown between the torch-bearers of a new generation, the 22-year-old Alcaraz saved three match points in the fourth set to continue his dominance over Sinner with a fifth successive win and end the Italian's 20-match winning streak at the majors.
The duo, who have captured seven of the last eight Grand Slams to stamp their authority on the tour, were locked in a fierce battle in the first major final between two men born in the 2000s.
Alcaraz showed his steely determination to win the epic in five hours and 29 minutes - the longest ever final at Roland Garros.
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in the 2025 French Open.
Photo:
JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP
Sinner held serve in a tense five-deuce opening game lasting 12 minutes, but was broken when he fired a forehand wide, before hitting back from 2-3 and going on to snatch an intense first set following an unforced error by Alcaraz.
Relentless pressure from the baseline allowed Sinner to go a break up early in the second set and the top seed began to apply the squeeze on Alcaraz, who was on the ropes trailing 1-4 on a sunbathed Court Philippe Chatrier.
An aggressive Alcaraz came out fighting and drew loud cheers when he drew level after 10 games and then forced a tiebreak but Sinner edged ahead with a blistering forehand winner and doubled his lead after the clock ticked past two hours.
Alcaraz, who had never come back from two sets down, battled hard in the hope of avoiding his first loss in a major final and pulled a set back before bravely saving three match points at 3-5 down in the fourth set, later restoring parity via the tiebreak.
He traded breaks in the decider but prevailed in the super tiebreak to win the longest Paris men's final since tennis went professional in 1968 while Sinner had to digest a missed chance to add to his US and Australian Open wins after a doping case.
-Reuters
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

RNZ News
8 hours ago
- RNZ News
Ngani Laumape signs with Moana Pasifika
Hurricanes Ngani Laumape, centre, celebrates scoring a try with team mates Ricky Riccitelli, left, and Jeff Toomaga-Allen. Photo: Photosport Moana Pasifika have secured the services of former All Black midfielder Ngani Laumape for the next two years. Laumape played 15 tests for New Zealand between 2017 and 2020, though opted to move to France after falling out of favour with selectors. The 32-year-old is fresh off three seasons with the Kobe Steelers in Japan League One, where he played alongside Moana Pasifika captain Ardie Savea. The announcement comes days after Moana culled its squad with the mass release of 176 players, six of whom had been with the side since it's inception. Despite the cleanout, the 2026 Moana Pasifika squad now has 30 of its 38 roster spots locked in. However, Laumape isn't heading to the North Shore to make up the numbers. "One of the reasons I came back was to be part of the first Moana Pasifika team to win the competition. Obviously there has to be a lot of hard work and a lot of things behind the scenes that we'll have to do but why can't our culture and our people do something great in this competition That's pretty inspiring and definitely motivating," he said. Head coach Fa'alogo Tana Umaga said Laumape has proven himself on the international stage. "From his experience in league, the All Blacks, as well as in France and in Japan, he has an open and mature outlook on the game. Ngani is also a great person who has done well for himself and his family, and I know he'll be able to integrate smoothly into our team environment." Ngani Laumape. Photo: PHOTOSPORT A proud Tongan from the villages of Nukuhetulu and Folaha, Laumape was born and raised in Palmerston North. He played for the Palmerston North Boys' High School First XV and for the New Zealand Schools alongside Savea and another 2025 Moana Pasifika squad member - Sione Mafile'o. In 2013 he made the switch to rugby league, debuting for the New Zealand Warriors who he made 30 appearances for across two seasons, scoring 11 tries. After his stint in league, Laumape signed with the Hurricanes for the 2016 Super Rugby season, going on to win the team's first ever Super Rugby title. In 2017 season, he finished as the competition's most prolific try-scorer with 15 to his name, and ending his stint in the capital with 49 tries across six seasons. Laumape's campaign caught the eye of All Blacks selectors, earning him his international debut in the 2017 British and Irish Lions series, stepping in to start for the suspended Sonny Bill Williams in the series decider. He will also return to play for the Manawatū Turbos in the National Provincial Championship.

RNZ News
14 hours ago
- RNZ News
Alcaraz and Sinner French Open final scaled new heights, former champions agree
Carlos Alcaraz ( Spain ) during the 2025 French Open at Roland Garros, 2025. Photo: Dante Badano / PsnewZ / Photosport Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner took tennis to a level above that reached by even the sport's golden generation during their spellbinding French Open final on Sunday (French time), according to a host of former Roland Garros champions. Spaniard Alcaraz, 22, saved three successive match points as he hit back from two sets down to win 4-6 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(10-2) in front of a mesmerised Paris crowd. At five hours and 29 minutes it was the longest final at Roland Garros, smashing the previous record set by Sweden's Mats Wilander when he beat Guillermo Vilas in 1982. "The level at the end was absolutely ridiculous," Wilander, analysing the final for broadcaster TNT, said. "I cannot believe we will have this rivalry. They have taken our sport to another level. I never thought I'd say that after the big three - Roger (Federer), Rafa (Nadal) and Novak (Djokovic) - but it's actually faster than ever and a level that is hard to believe." Between them the players struck 123 winners and the quality was unrelenting as the final swayed one way and then another as they went toe-to-toe. The final points tally was 193-192 in Sinner's favour but he fell agonisingly short of becoming the first Italian man to win the claycourt title since Adriano Panatta in 1976. "I've seen Federer and Nadal and they played a couple of good finals but nothing comes close to this," Wilander said. "I thought 'this is not possible' they're playing at a pace that is not human. These are two of the best athletes the human race can put forward and they happen to be tennis players. I'm not speechless often but what a wonderful day." Jannik Sinner ( Italy ) during the 2025 French Open at Roland Garros. Photo: © Dante Badano / PsnewZ 2025 It was the first Grand Slam final meeting between the two trailblazers who have now scooped seven out of the last eight Grand Slam titles and with Sinner only 23, they look set to create a rivalry as compelling as those between Nadal, Federer and Djokovic. "The first final between these two. Celestial tennis from Alcaraz in that final tie breaker," said another former French Open champion Jim Courier, who commentated on the match for TNT. "There are days that tennis players don't forget." Seven-time Grand Slam champion John McEnroe said both would have beaten record 14-time French Open champion and claycourt king Nadal at his peak. "You would make a serious argument with both guys that they would be favoured to beat Nadal, at his best," the American said. "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." Former Roland Garros winner Andre Agassi also sounded an ominous warning for anyone hoping to dethrone Alcaraz at Wimbledon where this year he will seek a hat-trick of titles. "Alcaraz's best surface to me, shockingly would be between here and Wimbledon. I'd actually say grass might be his best surface," the American, who presented the trophy, said. "I mean, you gotta remember this guy has defence and speed like Novak, if not more. He has feel like Federer, you could argue at times if not more. He has RPMs in pace like Rafa. You could argue maybe even more." -Reuters

1News
a day ago
- 1News
Carlos Alcaraz wins French Open final over Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz rallied from two sets down and saved three match points to beat Jannik Sinner 4-6 6-7 (4) 6-4 7-6 (3) 7-6 (10-2) on Monday and retain his French Open title for a second straight year. Alcaraz, who won his fifth Grand Slam tournament in as many finals, produced one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the clay-court tournament. It was the first time that Sinner had lost a Grand Slam final. It was also the longest-ever French Open final — 5 hours, 29 minutes — in the Open Era. After 3 hours, 43 minutes, Sinner had his first match point. But with just over five hours since the match began, Alcaraz served for the title at 5-4 up. ADVERTISEMENT The drama was still not over. Sinner made a remarkable retrieve from yet another superb Alcaraz drop shot. At the very limit he could stretch to, Sinner glided the ball over the net, with the ball landing with the softness of an autumn leaf and out of Alcaraz's reach to make it 15-40. When Sinner won the game to make it 5-5, it was his turn to milk the applause and he was two points away from victory in the 12th game, with Alcaraz on serve and at 15-30 and at deuce. But Alcaraz made a staggering cross-court backhand to make it 6-6 and force a tiebreaker, with the crowd going wild when Alcaraz's cross-court winner made it 4-0. Sinner could not find a way back and Alcaraz won the match with a superb forehand pass down the line and then fell onto his back to celebrate.