Alcaraz defends Roland Garros crown in five-set thriller
Paris, June 9 (UNI) In one of the most dramatic Grand Slam finals in recent memory, Spain's Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday pulled off an extraordinary comeback to retain his French Open title, defeating world number one Jannik Sinner in a marathon five-set encounter lasting five hours and 29 minutes – the longest men's singles final in the history of Roland-Garros.
In a clash billed as a battle between the top two players in the world, the 22-year-old Alcaraz rallied from two sets to one down and survived three match points to eventually clinch the championship 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6 (10-2) in front of a rapturous Philippe-Chatrier crowd this evening.
The match was a pulsating showcase of grit, nerves, and raw athleticism, with momentum swinging wildly throughout. Sinner, bidding for his first Roland-Garros crown, seemed poised for glory when he led 5-3 in the fourth set and held triple championship point on Alcaraz's serve. But the Spaniard displayed nerves of steel, saving all three and breaking back before forcing and winning the tiebreak.
Alcaraz then surged ahead in the final set, breaking early and appearing set for victory when he served for the match at 5-4. But Sinner struck back to level at 5-5, and a first-to-10 super tiebreak was required to separate the two warriors. There, Alcaraz raced to a 7-0 lead and never looked back, sealing the win 10-2 and collapsing in joy.
With this victory, Alcaraz joins an exclusive group of players who have won a Grand Slam title after saving match points – the others being Gaston Gaudio (Roland-Garros 2004) and Novak Djokovic (Wimbledon 2019).
This triumph marks Alcaraz's fifth major title – and second at Roland-Garros – adding to his two Wimbledon trophies and one US Open crown. He now stands as the third-youngest player in history to win five Grand Slam singles titles, following in the footsteps of legends Bjorn Borg and Rafael Nadal.
The match drew tennis legends and celebrities alike, including Andre Agassi, Martina Navratilova, and actor Dustin Hoffman, who witnessed the gladiatorial showdown that kept the 15,000-strong Chatrier spectators on the edge of their seats.
Sinner, despite the heartbreaking loss, was magnanimous in defeat, acknowledging Alcaraz's brilliance and vowing to come back stronger.
The clash will be remembered as an instant classic – a testament to the new golden age of men's tennis.
UNI BDN ARN
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