Alcaraz saves three championship points against Sinner to win 2025 Roland-Garros title in record-breaking final
Carlos Alcaraz overcame Jannik Sinner in a five-set epic to defend his French Open crown at Court Philippe-Chatrier on Sunday
Carlos Alcaraz, Roland-Garros 2025 | © Christophe Ena / AP / SIPA
Carlos Alcaraz defeated world No 1 Jannik Sinner after saving three match points in a nerve-wrecking final on Sunday, June 8, to win the 2025 Roland-Garros title. The result meant the Spaniard defended his title at Court Philippe-Chatrier, taking home his fifth Grand Slam trophy.
Alcaraz won the battle with an impressive comeback effort and extended his head-to-head lead over Sinner to 8-4. Despite losing the first two sets, he registered a 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2) victory in what became the longest final in French Open history, stretching to five hours, 29 minutes.
It replaced Mats Wilander and Guillermo Vilas’1982 title clash, which extended to four hours, 42 minutes, on top of the list.
Alcaraz finished it with a sublime forehand winner from the baseline that zoomed past Sinner, who was approaching the net on the other side of the court.
“I just want to say thank you for everything, my team, my family, that I have the privilege to be able to live great things with you,” an emotional Alcaraz said in his victory speech.
“I was lucky to have a lot of people who came from Murcia, from home to support me. I have a lot of friends here. Amazing support you’ve given me today. The whole two weeks. The people who weren’t able to come but are at home, thank you very much. This trophy is yours as well.”
The world No 2 also matched Gaston Gaudio’s effort of winning the French Open final, in 2004, after saving three championship points against Guillermo Coria.
Set 1: Sinner sneaks through
The match opened on a competitive note as Alcaraz created three break points in the first game but Sinner saved them all to hold after more than 11 minutes of struggle. Sinner too started off strong on return and threatened Alcaraz’s serve in the following game but the latter held after saving a break point.
Alcaraz cornered Sinner again by creating two more break points in the third game but the Italian showcased impressive defence to grind out another hold.
The defending champion finally succeeded in breaking his opponent’s serve in the fifth game but his advantage was short-lived as Sinner broke back immediately.
The high-octane action came to a standstill when Alcaraz called the doctor for an eye check-up before serving to stay in the match.
What followed was anti-climax as Sinner sneaked through with a break-point conversion and won the set.
Set 2: Sinner doubles his lead
Sinner grabbed a hold to start the second set after Alcaraz conceded an ace on deuce in commendable fair-play spirit. The Italian then pressed hard on the world No 2’s serve to secure a break and consolidated it with a swift hold to go three games clear.
Alcaraz visibly looked upset as he engaged in extended conversations with his box in search of answers from coach Juan Carlos Ferrero. He then opened his account in the set.
Tiring exchanges ensued as the Spaniard rallied the crowd in an effort to lift himself and secured a break in the ninth game to breathe new life into the final.
Alcaraz registered his first ace of the match in the 12th game and held to love to force a tiebreaker. Sinner, however, rose to the occasion once again and won the tiebreaker 7-4 to double his lead.
What a forehand at that crucial moment, Sinner getting closer and closer 💥#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/4gcIONUgqL
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 8, 2025
Set 3: Alcaraz stays in the hunt
Alcaraz began the third set on a disappointing note, losing his serve in the first game, but bounced back in the second to return on serve. He then secured a consecutive break and combined it with a hold to signal the onset of a comeback.
The following three games saw no more breaks, thus, giving the Spaniard an opportunity to serve it out in the ninth game but he couldn’t cash in on the chance.
Alcaraz corrected his mistake promptly by breaking the world No 1 to love to secure the set. By doing so, he became the first player to take a set off Sinner at the 2025 Roland-Garros.
SET 3 IS FOR ALCARAZ 🇪🇸#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/4GZN4NHDJh
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 8, 2025
Set 4: Alcaraz forces a decider
Sinner slapped big forehands in the opening game of the fourth set to break Alcaraz’s momentum and enforced a deuce but the latter held to start strong.
The Italian produced a hold to love and then a break point opportunity, but the world No 2 remained composed to stay on serve.
Alcaraz, however, lost the plot in the seventh game as Sinner dished out a break to love in a bid to turn the tide in his favour. He then consolidated it with a hold to put the Spaniard in a spot of bother.
The world No 1, helped by a double fault, then created three championship points on return. At this, Alcaraz dug deep and won the following five points to win the game.
Sinner then walked in to serve for the championship but ended up conceding a break as crowd grew louder with every point the defending champion won.
The 11th game saw Sinner return the favour to Alcaraz. He showed great sportsmanship at a critical juncture and corrected a lines official’s call, thus conceding a point.
The set eventually went into a tiebreaker and the world No 1 secured a mini break straight away. Alcaraz recovered quickly to bring it back on serve. Later, he went into the changeover leading by two points and eventually prevailed to force a decider.
ALCARAZ SENDS IT TO A 5TH SET 🤯#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/4xYKQr1kpp
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 8, 2025
Set 5: Alcaraz completes his title defence
Riding the wave of momentum, Alcaraz broke Sinner’s serve in the first game to start the decider on a high.
The Spaniard grew in confidence and began to use his dropshots to great effect, though the Italian created two break points in the fourth game but couldn’t convert.
Sinner stayed close and didn’t allow Alcaraz to run away with it and struck when the latter had the opportunity to close it out in the tenth game, taking the break back.
What followed were two scintillating games where both players tested each others to limit but couldn’t find a breakthrough, thus, heading into the super tiebreaker.
Alcaraz found another gear in the super tiebreak, once leading 7-0, and swept through to defend his title.
