#FrenchOpen: 'This one hurts' Sinner beaten in epic final

Five hours, 29 minutes, and one brutal fifth-set tiebreak decide the Roland Garros final

Jannik Sinner stepped onto Court Philippe-Chatrier looking like a man ready to rewrite the script. For nearly five and a half hours, he had the edge—serving for the title, up a break multiple times, holding three match points. But history has a dark sense of humor. Carlos Alcaraz came back from the dead to win 4–6, 6–7, 6–4, 7–6, 6–7, in the longest French Open final ever. Sinner didn’t break down physically. He didn’t fold mentally. He just got beat by a guy who found one more gear. The stat sheet shows how tight it was—193 points to 192. One point. But Sinner’s game and mindset? They’ve leveled up. What he lost in silverware, he gained in status.

The Lowdown

• 5h29m marathon: Longest final in Roland Garros history.

• 193–192 total points: Decided by a single point.

• 3 match points missed: Sinner served for the title in the fourth.

• 10–2 tiebreak finish: First final-set tiebreak ever at the French Open.

• 1,300 ATP points: Sinner’s career-best Slam finish.

• H2H now 8–4 Alcaraz: Still tilted, but this rivalry’s far from settled.

• First Slam final for Sinner: One for the archives, and his arrival moment.

• Second-longest Slam final ever: Only AO 2012 (Djokovic-Nadal) was longer.

“You try to start from zero again”

Fourth set meltdown? Erased. After losing serve and three match points, Sinner entered the fifth with cold clarity. That mindset kept him alive until the tiebreak—where Alcaraz exploded.

“Until you’re still playing, you don’t think of the chances you had.” — Sinner“I didn’t give him any free points.” — Sinner

“It was physical… it was mental”

Sinner didn’t fade like in past marathons. He matched Alcaraz sprint-for-sprint. No cramping, no panic. This was a test of pure endurance—and he passed.

“Physically I was quite fine… it was a physical match, mental match.” — Sinner

“I was more ready than in Rome”

With just one clay warm-up, Sinner still pushed the best in the world to the brink. His improvement since the Rome Masters was visible—tactically sharper, mentally steadier.

“I think my level today has improved since Rome.” — Sinner

“I had so many chances… I couldn’t use”

Breaks in the third, fourth, and chances in the fifth. Match points. Serving for the title. He was close—closer than ever. But finishing is a whole different skill.

“I was break up in the third… break up in the fourth… three match points.” — Sinner

“We are just a very simple family”

The post-match reset doesn’t start with a coach—it starts at home. His dad missed the final for work. His mom made the trip. Their support, not results, grounds him.

“Nothing of our success changes in the family.” — Sinner

“Playing the longest match in history… in a final”

This wasn't just personal—it was historical. First Slam final, longest French Open title match, and nearly pulled it off. Even without the trophy, Sinner now owns a piece of tennis legacy.

“This was not even a dream… because it was so far.” — Sinner

⚡ Quickfire

Q: Is this different from past Slam losses?

A: Yes. Against Novak, I had no chance. This time, I had it. I was there.

Q: Can you take something from this?

A: 100%. I know I belong. I know I can win this.