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Alcaraz Crowned Roland Garros Champion in Longest Final in History

In a marathon showdown that redefined endurance and resilience, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz captured the French Open title after a breathtaking five-set victory over Italy’s Jannik Sinner: 4-6, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (10-2).

The second-ranked Alcaraz overcame the world No. 1 in a final that lasted 5 hours and 29 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier, making it the longest French Open final in the Open Era (since 1968), breaking the previous record of 4h42m set in 1982 when Mats Wilander defeated Guillermo Vilas.

With this triumph, Alcaraz secured his fifth Grand Slam title, handing Sinner his first loss in a Grand Slam final. The Spaniard fought back from two sets down, saving three championship points, and broke Sinner’s serve to level the fifth set 5-5 before completing a comeback that saw him win three consecutive sets — a first for any opponent against Sinner at Roland Garros this year.

Alcaraz, at just 22 years old, becomes the third-youngest player in history to win five Grand Slams, after Björn Borgand Rafael Nadal. He also snapped Sinner’s remarkable 26-match win streak, which began in mid-May and included a victory over Alcaraz in the Rome Masters final.

This marked Alcaraz’s eighth win in 12 matches against Sinner and a repeat of last year’s French Open semifinal, which he also won. The Spaniard finishes the European clay season with a 22-1 record, winning Monte Carlo, Rome, and now Roland Garros — with his only loss coming in the Barcelona final, while carrying an injury.

Sinner, who became the first Italian in a Roland Garros final since 1976, was chasing a fourth Grand Slam title (after Australian Opens 2024 & 2025, and US Open 2024). This was only his second tournament since serving a negotiated three-month suspension related to a positive doping test handled in agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency.

In the post-match ceremony, a visibly emotional Sinner said: “Playing is easier than speaking right now… We gave it everything. I won’t sleep well tonight, but that’s okay.”

Alcaraz, ever the sportsman, paid heartfelt tribute to his rival during the trophy ceremony: “I’m sure you’ll win this title, not just once but many times. It’s truly an honor to share the court and make history with you.”

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