Carlos Alcaraz Still ‘Shocked’ That He Saved 3 Match Points to Beat Jannik Sinner in French Open Final

Carlos Alcaraz improved his head-to-head record over World No.1 Jannik Sinner to 8-4 after beating him in the Roland Garros final.

Carlos Alcaraz Still ‘Shocked’ That He Saved 3 Match Points to Beat Jannik Sinner in French Open Final

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Univers Tennis)

Carlos Alcaraz has arrived in London to chase his fourth title on grass. It’s the first tournament he will play following a successful campaign on the clay swing.

Alcaraz entered the clay swing without winning a Sunshine Double title for the first time since 2021 and was criticized for his performances. The Spaniard, however, kick-started his campaign on clay only to end it with three titles. He reached every final of the tournaments he played on the surface, winning the Masters 1000 titles in Monte Carlo and Rome, and losing the ATP 500 one in Barcelona.

It was his arch-rival Jannik Sinner he beat in the Italian Open final before defending his French Open crown by overcoming the 23-year-old in a thrilling final. Alcaraz dropped the first two sets, changing the momentum in the third set.

But in the fourth set, Alcaraz held his nerves to save three championship points before making a comeback, and through a tie-break, he took home his fifth Grand Slam title. Alcaraz still can’t believe that he made that incredible turnaround to beat the Italian in five hours and 29 minutes, which has now become the longest French Open final.

I still look at my phone, the press, and the videos of the match against Sinner and how I managed to save the match points against him, and the truth is that I still don’t understand how I was able to win. I’m still in shock when I realize what I did, I’m not fully aware that I’m the Roland Garros champion.

Carlos Alcaraz told reporters

It was Alcaraz’s fifth consecutive victory over Sinner, and he now leads 8-4 in the head-to-head matchups. Alcaraz also snapped Sinner’s 20-match winning streak in Grand Slam events. Sinner was chasing his third consecutive Grand Slam title and lost a final of this category for the first time. Alcaraz has now become the third youngest man to win five Majors.

Boris Becker says Jannik Sinner’s French Open defeat to Carlos Alcaraz was brutal

Jannik Sinner was chasing his fourth Grand Slam title at the French Open. Before this season, Sinner never made it to the final of the grass-court Major.

Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Giovanni Pelazzo, Carlos Alcaraz)

Last year, Carlos Alcaraz knocked him out of the semifinals after a tough five-set. Former player Boris Becker claimed Sinner would take a year to recover from this defeat but lauded him for his performance and how he behaved after the match.

It’s brutal for Sinner. Losing a final with match points served for the match. There’s nothing worse, but he can be proud of his performance. He behaved like a champion, fought, and played his best clay court match to date. That will happen again, maybe Jannik will be the luckier one next time.

Boris Becker told TNT Sports

Had Sinner won, it would have been his second title on the red dirt following the 2022 Umag Open which he lifted by beating Alcaraz. For Alcaraz, the French Open was his 11th title on the surface.

While Alcaraz has signed up for the Queen’s Club Championships to kick-start his campaign on grass, Sinner is bidding to defend his Halle Open title and become a two-time grass-court champion. The Murcia native will be locking horns with compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Sinner, on the other hand, will play home favorite Yannick Hanfmann in the first round. If Sinner wins the title, it will be his second one on grass.

After Queen’s Club Championships and Halle, both the young rivals will be playing at Wimbledon where they once again will meet if they both progress to the championship match. Sinner is a semifinalist at Wimbledon, while Alcaraz is a two-time defending champion.

Also read: Joao Fonseca Hopes to Emulate Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner After Titanic Roland Garros Final