Jannik Sinner ends Novak Djokovic's bid for 25th grand slam at French Open
Djokovic, who turned 38 last month, was bidding to become the oldest winner of a major title.
But in Sinner – 15 years his junior – the Serbian was essentially playing a younger, fitter version of himself.
Jannik Sinner won his 20th consecutive grand slam match (Jon Buckle/PA)
It was a high-calibre contest befitting a semi-final between the current world's best player and arguably the greatest of all time.
But it was Sinner who won the big moments and came out on top with a 6-4 7-5 7-6 (3) victory.
Sinner, who holds the US and Australian Open titles, is now on a 20-match winning streak at grand slams.
He will play defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, the second seed, in a blockbuster showdown on Sunday.
They may have won the last five grand slams between them, but it will be the first time they have met at one in a final.
Just to make Djokovic feel even older, it will be the first major final to be contested between two players born this century.
With Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff the last two women standing, Roland Garros will be the first grand slam to feature the top-two seeds from both the ATP and WTA draws in the finals since the 2013 US Open.
Djokovic has won three titles on the Paris clay but the surface was not his friend when Sinner broke in the first set after the ball kicked up violently off the dust and left him swinging at thin air.
Early in the second set Djokovic won a spectacular 26-shot rally, the pair exchanging drop shots before the Serb stretched to volley into an open court before milking the applause from the crowd.
Djokovic forced a first break point as Sinner served for the set and when the Italian netted a forehand, he was finally breached.
Novak Djokovic's wait for the milestone 25th title goes on (Jon Buckle/PA)
But the 23-year-old hit straight back and, after Djokovic received medical treatment on his left thigh at the changeover, he wrapped up the second set.
Djokovic kept fighting and had three set points to take it into a fourth in a 10th game, but Sinner wriggled out of that hole and secured victory in the tie-break after three hours and 16 minutes.
Once again Djokovic proved he still belongs in the latter stages of the grand slams, but the wait for the milestone 25th title goes on.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
25 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Coco Gauff admits French Open win ‘wasn't pretty' after beating Aryna Sabalenka
A stiff breeze swirled around Court Philippe-Chatrier and contributed to a combined total of 100 unforced errors and 15 breaks of serve. It was Gauff who coped better with the conditions to add the Roland Garros title to her 2023 US Open crown. Gauff coped better with the windy conditions (Jon Buckle/PA) 'it was super tough when I walked on the court and felt the wind because we warmed up with the roof closed,' she said. 'I was, like, 'this is going to be a tough day', and I knew it was just going to be about willpower and mental. 'It really came down to the last few points, but overall I'm just really happy with the fight that I managed today. 'It wasn't pretty, but it got the job done, and that's all that matters.' It was the first time the top two women's seeds had contested a Roland Garros final since Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova in 2013. Sabalenka edged a tie-break to win the opening set, which at 77 minutes lasted nine minutes longer than the entire match the last time Gauff was in the Roland Garros final, a chastening 6-1 6-3 defeat by Iga Swiatek three years ago. But at the start of the second Gauff inflicted a fifth successive break of the Sabalenka serve and finished it with an overhead Gauff was the more composed player by now and edged a break ahead in the decider, while Sabalenka moodily eyeballed her coaching team in the players' box. Sabalenka won the first set but could not halt the comeback (Jon Buckle/PA) Sabalenka drew level at 3-3 but promptly double-faulted to give Gauff three break points, and she dispatched the first with another precise swish of her backhand. At 5-3 the 27-year-old Belarusian bravely held to make Gauff serve the match out. In keeping with the previous two hours and 38 minutes, a match point came and went, as did a break point. But when the second chance arrived and Sabalenka swung wide, an elated, tearful Gauff fell to the clay as she celebrated a stunning win. Sabalenka, a vivacious presence throughout the fortnight both in person and via her social media output, was an uncharacteristically ungracious loser. 'I mean, honestly sometimes it felt like she was hitting the ball from the frame,' she said. 'Somehow, magically the ball lands in the court, and you're kind of on the back foot. 'It felt like a joke, honestly, like somebody from above was just staying there laughing, like, 'let's see if you can handle this'. 'I was just making unforced errors. I think she won the match not because she played incredible; just because I made all of those mistakes, kind of like from easy balls.'
South Wales Argus
29 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Coco Gauff admits French Open win ‘wasn't pretty' after beating Aryna Sabalenka
The 21-year-old American, seeded second, came from a set down to beat world number one Sabalenka 6-7 (5) 6-2 6-4. A stiff breeze swirled around Court Philippe-Chatrier and contributed to a combined total of 100 unforced errors and 15 breaks of serve. It was Gauff who coped better with the conditions to add the Roland Garros title to her 2023 US Open crown. Gauff coped better with the windy conditions (Jon Buckle/PA) 'it was super tough when I walked on the court and felt the wind because we warmed up with the roof closed,' she said. 'I was, like, 'this is going to be a tough day', and I knew it was just going to be about willpower and mental. 'It really came down to the last few points, but overall I'm just really happy with the fight that I managed today. 'It wasn't pretty, but it got the job done, and that's all that matters.' It was the first time the top two women's seeds had contested a Roland Garros final since Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova in 2013. Sabalenka edged a tie-break to win the opening set, which at 77 minutes lasted nine minutes longer than the entire match the last time Gauff was in the Roland Garros final, a chastening 6-1 6-3 defeat by Iga Swiatek three years ago. But at the start of the second Gauff inflicted a fifth successive break of the Sabalenka serve and finished it with an overhead Gauff was the more composed player by now and edged a break ahead in the decider, while Sabalenka moodily eyeballed her coaching team in the players' box. Sabalenka won the first set but could not halt the comeback (Jon Buckle/PA) Sabalenka drew level at 3-3 but promptly double-faulted to give Gauff three break points, and she dispatched the first with another precise swish of her backhand. At 5-3 the 27-year-old Belarusian bravely held to make Gauff serve the match out. In keeping with the previous two hours and 38 minutes, a match point came and went, as did a break point. But when the second chance arrived and Sabalenka swung wide, an elated, tearful Gauff fell to the clay as she celebrated a stunning win. Sabalenka, a vivacious presence throughout the fortnight both in person and via her social media output, was an uncharacteristically ungracious loser. 'I mean, honestly sometimes it felt like she was hitting the ball from the frame,' she said. 'Somehow, magically the ball lands in the court, and you're kind of on the back foot. 'It felt like a joke, honestly, like somebody from above was just staying there laughing, like, 'let's see if you can handle this'. 'I was just making unforced errors. I think she won the match not because she played incredible; just because I made all of those mistakes, kind of like from easy balls.'
South Wales Guardian
29 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Coco Gauff admits French Open win ‘wasn't pretty' after beating Aryna Sabalenka
The 21-year-old American, seeded second, came from a set down to beat world number one Sabalenka 6-7 (5) 6-2 6-4. A stiff breeze swirled around Court Philippe-Chatrier and contributed to a combined total of 100 unforced errors and 15 breaks of serve. It was Gauff who coped better with the conditions to add the Roland Garros title to her 2023 US Open crown. 'it was super tough when I walked on the court and felt the wind because we warmed up with the roof closed,' she said. 'I was, like, 'this is going to be a tough day', and I knew it was just going to be about willpower and mental. 'It really came down to the last few points, but overall I'm just really happy with the fight that I managed today. 'It wasn't pretty, but it got the job done, and that's all that matters.' NEW QUEEN OF PARIS 👑#RolandGarros — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2025 It was the first time the top two women's seeds had contested a Roland Garros final since Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova in 2013. Sabalenka edged a tie-break to win the opening set, which at 77 minutes lasted nine minutes longer than the entire match the last time Gauff was in the Roland Garros final, a chastening 6-1 6-3 defeat by Iga Swiatek three years ago. But at the start of the second Gauff inflicted a fifth successive break of the Sabalenka serve and finished it with an overhead Gauff was the more composed player by now and edged a break ahead in the decider, while Sabalenka moodily eyeballed her coaching team in the players' box. Sabalenka drew level at 3-3 but promptly double-faulted to give Gauff three break points, and she dispatched the first with another precise swish of her backhand. At 5-3 the 27-year-old Belarusian bravely held to make Gauff serve the match out. In keeping with the previous two hours and 38 minutes, a match point came and went, as did a break point. But when the second chance arrived and Sabalenka swung wide, an elated, tearful Gauff fell to the clay as she celebrated a stunning win. Sabalenka, a vivacious presence throughout the fortnight both in person and via her social media output, was an uncharacteristically ungracious loser. 'I mean, honestly sometimes it felt like she was hitting the ball from the frame,' she said. 'Somehow, magically the ball lands in the court, and you're kind of on the back foot. 'It felt like a joke, honestly, like somebody from above was just staying there laughing, like, 'let's see if you can handle this'. 'I was just making unforced errors. I think she won the match not because she played incredible; just because I made all of those mistakes, kind of like from easy balls.'
