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A new generation takes over: Inside Alcaraz’s victory over Sinner in French Open final

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A new generation takes over: Inside Alcaraz’s victory over Sinner in French Open final
A new generation takes over: Inside Alcaraz’s victory over Sinner in French Open final

New Delhi: The Roland Garros final on Sunday delivered a spectacular show that no tennis fan could have dreamed of missing. Two of the best players in the world, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Italy’s Jannik Sinner, played out a five hour and 29 minute classic that will be remembered as one of the greatest French Open finals ever.

Alcaraz pulled off a remarkable comeback from two sets down, saving three championship points to retain his French Open title. The match ended in a thrilling fifth-set match tiebreak with Alcaraz sealing the victory 4-6,7-6(7), 6-4, 7-6(7), 7-6 (10).

This was the first Grand Slam final between two players born in the 2000s, cementing the arrival of a new generation of tennis stars. For more than two decades men’s tennis has been dominated by the ‘Big 3’ (Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer) but on Sunday, Alcaraz and Sinner showed that the future of the sport is in safe hands.

Alcaraz’s triumph marked his fifth major title, equaling his idol Nadal’s record of winning five Slams by the same age of 22 years, one month, and three days. Meanwhile, Sinner at 23 became the youngest player since Pete Sampras in 1994 to reach three consecutive Grand Slam singles finals.

Records and rivalries

The match set a new benchmark as the longest French Open final in history, surpassing the 1982 final that lasted for 4 hours and 47 minutes. The winner of the 1982 final, Mats Wilander, was left in awe and told TNT Sports, “Federer and Nadal played some incredible finals, but nothing compares to this. They’re playing at a level that doesn’t seem human.”

Sinner’s journey to the final was equally impressive. Despite a three-month doping suspension earlier in the year, he returned with remarkable consistency, winning 111 of his past 121 matches since the Beijing Open in September 2023. Yet half of his 10 losses have come against Alcaraz, underlining the Spaniard’s edge in this compelling rivalry.

The records that were broken in the French Open final are –

  • Both Alcaraz and Sinner were undefeated in Grand Slam finals were undefeated in the final. Sinner’s perfect record ended here while Alcaraz extended his streak to five wins in as many finals. Only Roger Federer (7) has more consecutive wins at that stage, highlighting Alcaraz’s composure under pressure.
  • Sinner had amassed an incredible streak of 31 consecutive sets won in Grand Slam matches, dating back to his victorious Australian Open run. That streak ended when Alcaraz fought back in the third set, halting Sinner’s momentum and joining a select group of Federer (36), Nadal (35), and McEnroe (35) who have posted longer streaks in the Open Era.
  • At just 22 years and 34 days old, Alcaraz became the third-youngest man to win five Grand Slam titles. He was only one day older than Nadal (22y 33d) when the Spaniard won his fifth. Bjorn Borg still remains the youngest to achieve the feat (22y 5d).
  • Alcaraz now joins Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal as the only men to win Grand Slam titles in four consecutive years, which is a clear sign of his remarkable consistency.
  • Alcaraz even became the eighth man in the Open Era to successfully defend the French Open title. In the 21st century, only Nadal and Gustavo Kuerten have managed the same feat on the clay of Roland Garros.
  • This final clocked in at 5 hours and 29 minutes, making it the second-longest Grand Slam final in history, just a few minutes behind the epic 5 hours and 53 minutes clash between Djokovic and Nadal at the 2012 Australian Open.
  • Alcaraz even became the third player after Thomas Muster (1995) and Nadal (multiple years) to win both ATP Masters clay events and Roland Garros titles in a single season. This year, Alcaraz played four clay tournaments and emerged victorious in all.

These records add even more weight to the rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner. This is a rivalry that promises to define men’s tennis for years to come. Alcaraz now leads their head-to-head 8-4 breaking Sinner’s perfect record in major finals. Despite the loss, Sinner remains the world number one but Alcaraz has cut his lead in the rankings to just over 2,000 points. With Wimbledon and the US Open looming both players have plenty to play for.

Looking ahead

Alcaraz acknowledged the challenge Sinner brings. “Every match I play against him is huge,” he said. “He makes me raise my level. I know I won’t beat him every time. I need to keep improving and learning.”

Sinner was gracious in defeat and praised Alcaraz’s performance. “Every rivalry is different,” he said. “Today’s tennis is so physical, and Carlos is such a strong competitor. I’m proud to be part of this rivalry.”

With seven of the past eight Grand Slams now split between Alcaraz and Sinner, it’s clear this rivalry is here to stay. For tennis fans, that means many more epic battles to witness in the years to come, like Sunday’s unforgettable final.

The bigger picture

Big 3 era winds down as the last playing legend, Novak Djokovic, was knocked out in the semis by Sinner, and now the stage is set for Alcaraz and Sinner to define the next era of men’s tennis. With their youth, skill, and hunger for greatness, they are already proving worthy successors.

For now, tennis can celebrate a new dawn as Alcaraz and Sinner are ready to carry the legacy and sport forward. After Sunday’s classic, fans everywhere can only hope for many more battles between these two titans in the years to come.

 Carlos Alcaraz triumphs in a record-breaking Roland Garros final over Jannik Sinner, clinching his fifth Slam and extending his lead in their rivalry to 8-4.  Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today

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