The match's dramatic arc saw Sinner dominate early, winning the first two sets 6-4, 7-6(4) and appearing on course for his maiden Roland Garros title.12 With his back against the wall, Alcaraz showcased remarkable resilience by claiming the third set 6-4.3 The turning point came when the Spaniard saved three championship points in the fourth set before forcing a tiebreaker, which he won 7-3.14

In the decisive fifth set, both players delivered spectacular tennis as momentum shifted repeatedly. After Sinner battled back from a deficit to lead 6-5, Alcaraz regrouped to force a final-set tiebreaker.15 The defending champion ultimately dominated the super tiebreak 10-2, completing one of the greatest comebacks in French Open history.5 Tennis legend Juan Martin del Potro captured the match's quality perfectly, tweeting: "Give the cup to both of them."1

At 3-5, 0/40 in the fourth set, Alcaraz faced three championship points that would have handed Sinner his first Roland Garros title. In what became the match's defining moment, the Spaniard delivered an ace followed by a thunderous forehand winner to escape immediate defeat1. The defending champion then broke Sinner's precise serve to level at 5-5, sending the Philippe-Chatrier crowd into raptures12.

This remarkable escape act completely shifted the match's momentum. After trailing early in the fourth-set tiebreak, Alcaraz produced near-flawless tennis to level the match at two sets all1. The Spaniard's refusal to surrender energized both himself and the Paris crowd, who witnessed history as the contest surpassed the 4-hour 42-minute mark to become the longest French Open final ever2. Alcaraz's championship-point heroics exemplified the extraordinary resilience that would ultimately power him to victory in this epic encounter.

The Alcaraz-Sinner showdown shattered the 43-year-old record for the longest French Open men's singles final, surpassing the 4 hours and 42 minutes set by Mats Wilander and Guillermo Vilas in 1982.12 As the fifth set progressed into a tiebreak, the match officially entered the history books, with both players pushing each other to extraordinary limits on the clay courts of Roland Garros.3 The previous record-holder saw a 17-year-old unseeded Wilander defeat the third-seeded Vilas in four sets with a score of 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-0, 6-4.1

While the 2025 final set a new time record, it fell short of the record for most games played in a French Open final. That distinction still belongs to the 1984 final between John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl, which featured 51 games as Lendl came back from two sets down to win 3-6, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5, 7-5.1 The Alcaraz-Sinner marathon joins other legendary Roland Garros encounters in the tournament's rich history, including Novak Djokovic's 2021 comeback against Stefanos Tsitsipas that lasted 48 games.1

Carlos Alcaraz entered the 2025 French Open as the defending champion, having won his first Roland Garros title in 2024 by defeating Alexander Zverev.1 The 22-year-old Spaniard arrived in Paris seeking to become only the third man this century, after Rafael Nadal and Gustavo Kuerten, to successfully defend the Coupe des Mousquetaires.2 His victory over Jannik Sinner not only secured this rare achievement but also marked his fifth Grand Slam title overall.21

The tournament organizers had paid special tribute to Rafael Nadal at the start of the event, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Spanish legend winning his first of 14 Roland Garros titles in 2005.3 Alcaraz's back-to-back victories now place him on a path that echoes his illustrious countryman, though still far from Nadal's record 14 French Open titles. The defending champion's resilience throughout the tournament culminated in his semifinal victory over Lorenzo Musetti before his historic final against Sinner.4