“I think he was born to play these kind of moments” – Alcaraz, a machine in the clutch
There are victories that shape careers. And then there are matches that etch them into legend. On Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz won Roland-Garros in a wildly intense final against Jannik Sinner, after five breathless sets and over five hours of battle.
Carlos Alcaraz, Roland-Garros 2025 – © Virginie Bouyer
More than just a new Grand Slam title—the fifth for the young Spaniard—it’s the manner, the drama, and the brilliance of the battle fought that will go down in history. Alcaraz pulled off a comeback worthy of the great Barça. “It was the first time I came back from two sets to love. I think there was no better moment to do it than in a Roland-Garros final,” he said proudly.
In a boiling-hot arena, this rollercoaster of a match had all the ingredients of an instant classic. A match that might one day be mentioned in the same breath as Federer-Nadal 2008 or Borg-McEnroe 1980. Alcaraz, however, refuses to see it as a legacy moment—at least not yet: “If people put this match on that level, it’s a huge honor. But I’ll let others judge that. I don’t know if our match is in the same table as them.”
What elevated this duel wasn’t just the scoreboard. It was the mental strength of both players, flirting with collapse… but never breaking. Down two sets, broken in the third, the Spaniard seemed on the brink. But he held firm. He persisted. He refused to give in to fate and chose, in the heart of the storm, to trust his game: “I told myself it was time to give my best and not be afraid to make mistakes.” Jannik Sinner, for his part, fought until the very end, getting broken in the fifth set just after losing the fourth—even though he had three match points. He broke back in the final moments, dragging Alcaraz into a super tiebreak.
I asked myself several times: What more can I do?
But in the hottest moments, Alcaraz produced his most dazzling shots. That crosscourt forehand passing shot at 6-5 for Sinner, 15-30 in the fifth set, has already etched itself into collective memory. He remembers it perfectly, still in disbelief: “Honestly, I still don’t know how I managed to save that game.”
By that stage, the match had become nearly surreal. Sinner was launching rockets, defending like a wall. Alcaraz raised his arms, questioned the skies: “I asked myself several times: What more can I do?” The Italian looked unstoppable—but Alcaraz never stopped believing. Not even when facing three match points.
On the bench, Juan Carlos Ferrero—his coach since his teenage years—lived every point with intensity. He knows what his player is made of. And even he, a former world No.1, had doubts: “At 5-3, 0-40 in the fourth set, I didn’t think he could come back. But he looked at me and made that little gesture with his racket, as if to say: I’m still here. With Carlos, everything’s possible.”
To Ferrero, it’s no coincidence. It’s in his DNA. “I think he was born to play these kinds of moments. Even as a kid, in Challengers, he’d go after the big points. And now he’s doing it in Grand Slam finals.”
Alcaraz, for his part, refuses to see himself as a magician. He talks about hard work, confidence, and courage. He admits with a smile: “Honestly, I’d rather win in straight sets.”
Down two sets to none, back against the wall, he drew from what he himself considers the hallmark of the greatest: “I think it’s in those moments that true champions are revealed,” he confided.
Able to fight to the very end, even when all seemed lost, he hung on—point by point. “It’s a Grand Slam final. It’s not the time to give up. It’s not the time to be tired.” A philosophy he followed to the letter to turn the final around. “I always believe in myself. Even with match points against me, I told myself: one point at a time.”
A DATE, A DESTINY
This victory says a lot about the player—but even more about the man. At 22 years, one month, and three days old, Carlos Alcaraz clinched his fifth major, equaling a certain Rafael Nadal at the same age. Only Björn Borg did it faster, reaching the same tally at 22 years and five days. “It just so happens that I won my fifth Grand Slam at the same age as Rafa. I’d say it’s destiny,” he said, almost moved. “It is a stat that I’m going to keep for me forever, winning the fifth Grand Slam at the same time as Rafa, my idol, my inspirations. It’s a huge honor honestly.”
Ferrero, ever cautious, resists the urge to draw comparisons: “Today’s not the day for that. It’s an incredible coincidence, but we’re trying to write our own story.”
This Roland-Garros 2025 will also be remembered as a cornerstone in the rising rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner. It was their 14th meeting, but their first Grand Slam final. And likely not the last. “Every match against him is special. I hope this was just the first of many more. Every time we play, we push each other to the limit,” says Alcaraz.
World tennis has found its new rivalry—its next great chapter. A clash of styles, of personalities—but with immense mutual respect. And a promise for the future. “For the sport, it’s something incredible. Seeing these two guys battle for big trophies—that’s the most beautiful thing in tennis,” Ferrero concluded.
Carlos Alcaraz may be young, but he already plays with the soul of the legends. This Sunday, Roland-Garros bore witness to the rise of a legend who shows no sign of slowing down.
