Carlos Alcaraz clinched his fifth Grand Slam title in a thrilling five-set battle against Jannik Sinner at Roland Garros on Sunday, rallying from two sets down to win 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(10-2).
The match, the longest Roland Garros final ever at 5 hours and 29 minutes, saw Alcaraz save three championship points in the fourth set at 3-5, 0/40; he then broke early in the fifth, only to fail to serve it out before recouping to dominate the decisive fifth-set tie-break.
Full recap, match stats, highlights and some final thoughts below.
Day Fifteen French Open 2025 Final Result
Winner
Loser
Scoreline
Carlos Alcaraz (2)
Jannik Sinner (1)
4-6 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(10-2)
Match Stats
Â
Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz
Winners
53
70
Unforced Errors
64
73
Aces
8
7
Double Faults
0
7
1st Serve %
54% (103/191)
58% (113/194)
1st Serve Points Won
70% (72/103)
63% (71/113)
2nd Serve Points Won
50% (44/88)
57% (46/81)
Break Points Saved
50% (7/14)
53% (8/15)
Service Games
75% (21/28)
75% (21/28)
1st Return Points Won
37% (42/113)
30% (31/103)
2nd Return Points Won
43% (35/81)
50% (44/88)
Break Points Won
47% (7/15)
50% (7/14)
Return Games
25% (7/28)
25% (7/28)
Pressure Points
48% 014/29)
52% (15/29)
Service Points
61% (116/191)
60% (117/194)
Return Points
40% (77/194)
39% (75/191)
Net Points
67% (30/45)
67% (22/33)
Total Points
50% (193/385)
50% (192/385)
Match Points Saved
0
3
Max Points In A Row
8
9
Total Games
50% (28/56)
50% (28/56)
Max Games In A Row
5
4
Highlights
Quick Match Recap + Thoughts
First, the formalities: I thought Sinner started the match strongly, with his typical brand of aggressive baseline play and deep, error-free groundstrokes pressuring Alcaraz early.
He looked stronger, but Carlos kept having short spells where he looked to be catching fire. The set featured 11 break points across 10 games in which Alcaraz struck first blood, but failed to consolidate before Sinner broke to take the set after a medical timeout for Alcaraz (clay in his eye).Â
In the second set, Sinner raced to a 3-0 lead, dictating rallies. Alcaraz fought back from 5-2 to level at 5-5, but Sinner’s composure shone in the tie-break. His heavy-hitting and crowd-defying focus gave him a two-set lead, leaving Alcaraz on the ropes.
Alcaraz had never come back from two sets down in a Slam before, but he adjusted well in the third, standing closer to the baseline to rush Sinner.
Despite Sinner breaking him in the first game and him being unable to serve it out, Alcaraz’s stunning forehand winners and a crucial re-break in the 10th game kept him alive, shifting the momentum slightly.
The fourth was where things picked up. Down 3-5, 0/40, Alcaraz faced three championship points but saved them with clutch serving and Sinner’s errors (long forehand, missed return, netted shot). Alcaraz broke Sinner in the next game and dominated the tie-break, forcing a fifth set as the pro Alcaraz crowd erupted.
In the fifth set, Alcaraz had the wind in his sails as Sinner wasn’t moving as well, and after an early break, he led 5-4 but couldn’t serve it out.
That gave Sinner a second wind, and at 6-5, it looked back on his racket. However, Alcaraz stayed steady, forced the tie break and then unleashed a barrage of winners, crushing Sinner 10-2 in the breaker to win after 5 hours and 29 minutes.
Thoughts on the Final
A high-quality final and one that either player could have won. The stats tell the story: virtually nothing separated them.
It came down to just a handful of points. Alcaraz’s 13–1 record in fifth sets and his composure under pressure, particularly in the final tie-break, ultimately made the difference.
Did Sinner’s 6–10 record in deciding sets and his 0–7 mark in matches lasting over 3 hours and 50 minutes play a role? Possibly. But if you replayed that match 100 times, the margins would still be razor-thin; 51–49, 52–48, maybe even 50–50 either way.
On clay, I think Alcaraz has the more complete game, capable of higher peaks, but also more fluctuations in level.
Early on, he seemed to play too much on Sinner’s terms by trading groundstrokes at a blistering pace, going shot for shot. I expected more variety from Carlos with more shape, more spin, more disruption, but for large stretches, he went toe-to-toe.
Sinner had the upper hand in those exchanges early, thanks to his effortless power and elite movement, which are near-impossible to neutralise. However, as the match wore on, Alcaraz showed more grit and adaptability.
Sinner will regret those missed championship points and the loss of precision in the final tie-break. But credit to Alcaraz, he went full Novak mode when it mattered most, playing flawless tennis under the heaviest pressure.
What did you think of the final? Let me know in the comments.
