Carlos Alcaraz showed his masterclass at the 2025 French Open final with one of the most stunning comebacks in the sport’s history. The Spaniard was two sets down against Jannik Sinner, but he fought back in the epic clash that lasted 5 hours 29 minutes, making it the second-longest Grand Slam final.
Following this historical win, Alcaraz shared the exact words he had said to himself to keep him motivated during crucial moments.
Carlos Alcaraz Turned Self-Doubt Into Self-Belief
During the post-match press conference, the 22-year-old revealed his mental approach, stating, “I always repeat myself in specific moments that I had to go for it. No matter if I was down, no matter if I lose the 5th. I just thought it was time to go for it.” He added, “Don’t be afraid of the mistakes, and I think today was all about belief in myself. I never doubted about myself today, and I tried to go for it.”
These words from Carlos Alcaraz reveal just how he transformed the pressure of the game into motivation. When most players might feel the weight of defending their title, the Spaniard chose to embrace the challenge with a fearless approach.
“I told myself that in specific moments, I had to go for it. No matter what. No matter if I was down. No matter if I lose the 5th. I just thought it was time to go for it. Don’t be afraid… Today was all about belief in myself.” ❤️
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 8, 2025
This strategy worked perfectly for Alcaraz as he dominated the final tiebreak 10-2, hitting 70 winners throughout the match. This fearless attitude helped him become only the third player in the Open Era to save championship points and win a Grand Slam final after Gastón Gaudio and Novak Djokovic. This was his fifth Major, equalling the number of titles his idol, Rafael Nadal, had at the same age.
This was also the first-ever men’s Grand Slam final to be contested by two players born in the 2000s.
The Moment That Changed Everything for Alcaraz
The biggest challenge for Alcaraz came in the fourth set when Sinner held three championship points at 5-3, 40-0. The World No. 1 was just a point away from securing his first French Open title. But this was when the Spaniard’s self-talk became crucial. Instead of the general approach of playing it safe, Alcaraz decided to counterattack.
The Spaniard went on to save all three match points with his aggressive tennis before going on to win five straight points to hold serve and eventually broke Sinner’s serve, leveling the set at 5-5.
This match was also special for Alcaraz as it was the first time in his career that he won a match after being down in the first two sets.
