Carlos Alcaraz emerged victorious against familiar rival Jannik Sinner after a titanic tussle for the 2025 French Open championship. Notably, Alcaraz defended his crown after saving three match points in the five-hour and 29-minute encounter, the longest final in the tournament’s history.
Despite dropping the first two sets to the World No. 1, Alcaraz staged an epic comeback, taking the next three sets in an intense battle of will and firepower. With the victory, Alcaraz extended his head-to-head lead against his Italian rival to 8-4.
Alcaraz, in his victory speech, made it clear that he has immense respect for his rival.
Carlos Alcaraz Has Revealed How He Feels About His Rivalry With Sinner
The Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry is considered the closest and most intense in modern tennis match-ups. Although the Spaniard has edged his rival in their five most recent matches, several encounters have been extremely close. After defeating Sinner in the dramatic finale at Roland-Garros, Alcaraz shared his thoughts on his rivalry with the Italian.
“It is amazing, the level you have,” Alcaraz told Sinner at the trophy presentation ceremony. “Congratulations for an amazing two weeks, an amazing tournament to you and your team. I know the hard work you put in every day. It is huge. Honestly, I know how hard you are chasing this tournament, and every tournament.”
Paris will always have his heart ❤️
Carlos Alcaraz addresses the crowd after winning his second #RolandGarros 🏆 pic.twitter.com/XMeir7wqXH
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) June 8, 2025
Alcaraz went on to assert that Sinner would be a French Open champion “not once, but many many times.”
“It is a privilege to share the court with you. In every tournament, making history with you.” Alcaraz went on to describe Sinner as a huge inspiration for “the young kids, for everyone, for myself as well.”
Sinner, too, expressed satisfaction at his performance in the tournament, describing it as “amazing.” He said, “We tried our best today. We gave everything we had. It was an amazing tournament, even though it’s very, very difficult now, but it’s okay.”
Who Carlos Alcaraz Has Credited for His Remarkable Success at the French Open
After hoisting the French Open trophy for the second straight year, Carlos Alcaraz lavished praise on his team and his family for their constant support, help, and encouragement. He also thanked the Spaniards who had travelled to Roland Garros to cheer for him throughout the fortnight.
At the same time, he hinted that he is hardly done with the French Open, and intends to come back “year after year” as he bids to win more trophies. “This tournament is very special for me,” he said, adding, “I can’t wait to come here year after year.”
