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Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6 (10-2) in the final to defend the men’s title at Roland Garros.
French Open: Carlos Alcaraz after beating Jannik Sinner (AP)
Carlos Alcaraz produced a remarkable comeback to defeat top seed Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2) in a captivating French Open final on Sunday, retaining his title and cementing his status as the Prince of Clay in the post-Rafael Nadal era of Roland Garros.
In a thrilling encounter between the rising stars of the next generation, the 22-year-old Alcaraz remains undefeated in five Grand Slam finals, ending Sinner‘s 20-match winning streak at major tournaments.
The two players, who have won seven of the last eight Grand Slams between them, were locked in an intense battle in the first major final featuring men born in the 2000s. Alcaraz demonstrated exceptional resilience to win the epic match in five hours and 29 minutes, making it the longest final in Roland Garros history.
Sinner held serve in a tense, 12-minute opening game that included five deuces, but was broken when he hit a forehand wide. He then recovered from a 2-3 deficit to secure the first set, capitalising on an unforced error from Alcaraz.
Applying relentless pressure from the baseline, Sinner gained an early break in the second set. The top seed had Alcaraz on the ropes, trailing 1-4 on a sunlit Court Philippe Chatrier. However, an aggressive Alcaraz rallied, levelling after ten games and forcing a tiebreak. Sinner then edged ahead with a powerful forehand winner, securing a two-set lead after more than two hours of play.
Despite having never previously come back from two sets down, Alcaraz fought hard to avoid his first defeat in a major final. He won the third set and saved three match points at 3-5 down in the fourth set, levelling the match via a tiebreak.
In the decisive fifth set, both players exchanged breaks, but Alcaraz triumphed in the super tiebreak, winning the longest men’s final in Paris since the start of the Open Era in 1968. Sinner was left to rue a missed opportunity to add to his US and Australian Open titles.
(With inputs from Agencies)
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket, having cov…Read More
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket, having cov… Read More
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