Alcaraz produces another major comeback to win French Open final

PARIS, France:

Bad starts in Grand Slam finals are nothing new for Carlos Alcaraz, and each time it's happened he has won the tournament anyway.

But not in such dramatic style as yesterday's French Open final, when the Spaniard rallied from two sets down and saved three match points to beat top-ranked Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2) for his fifth major title in as many finals.

It was Alcaraz's second straight French Open title with a comeback, after trailing 2-1 in sets to Alexander Zverev in last year's final, and a third major title from behind, following his five-set win against Novak Djokovic in the 2023 Wimbledon final.

"When the situations are against you, then you have to keep fighting. It's a Grand Slam final, it's no time to be tired, no time to give up," Alcaraz said. "Do I enjoy that? The real champions are made in those situations."

In producing one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the clay-court tournament yesterday, he emulated Djokovic's feat from the 2021 final at Roland-Garros -- when the now 24-time major winner fought back from two sets down to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas.

"Today it was all about the belief in myself," Alcaraz said.

He became just the ninth player to rally from two sets down and win a Grand Slam final in the Open Era, which began in 1968. The first was Bjorn Borg in 1974 against Manuel Orantes at the French Open, where Ivan Lendl and Andre Agassi achieved the same feat. Rafael Nadal also did so, at the Australian Open, and Sinner too.

It was the first time that Sinner had lost a Grand Slam final, but the fifth time in succession he has now lost to Alcaraz, who clinched the 20th title of his career at the age of 22.

It was also the longest-ever French Open final -- five hours, 29 minutes -- in the Open Era. It was so tight that Sinner won 193 points, Alcaraz 192.

It might not have been close to those numbers.

For after three hours, 43 minutes, Sinner had his first match point. But with just over five hours since the match began, Alcaraz served for the title at 5-4 up.

NIGHTMARES

Sinner may have nightmares about the ninth game of the fourth set.

Serving to stay in the match at 5-3 down, Alcaraz trailed 0-40 to give Sinner three match points.

On the second match point, and with Alcaraz on second serve, he hit a hurried backhand which landed just out. He then hit a forehand into the net for another unforced error, making it deuce.

The crowd chanted "Carlos, Carlos", and roared when Alcaraz hit an ace, then gave him a standing ovation when his audacious forehand down the line went in -- to win that game -- and again when he broke Sinner's serve to level at 5-5.

"That's what the real champions have done in their whole careers. Not being afraid," Alcaraz said. "That's why I had my best tennis in crucial moments."