Sinner, this is how it hurts: Alcaraz cancels three match points and wins Roland Garros in the tiebreak of the fifth
Epic and cruel match, a manifesto of sport: five and a half hours of extraordinary tennis. The world number 1 wastes his chances in the fourth set and gives in in the decisive partial
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Carlos Alcaraz wins Roland Garros. He cancels three consecutive match points against Jannik Sinner and wins an epic match that lasts 5 and a half hours, with a score of 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6 (10-2). It is the longest final in the history of Roland Garros.
For the Spanish champion it is the fifth Slam in his career, second consecutive in Paris. Sinner stops one step away from the dream of bringing the Musketeers' Cup back to Italy 49 years after Panatta.
It was the first Slam final between the two best tennis players in the world, and it did not disappoint expectations. Five and a half hours of extraordinary tennis, played at a frenetic pace by two champions of enormous value and fairness, who gave each other very important points on questionable balls, without the need to bring down the umpire. A cruel battle point after point, physically brutal, of a very high level, with extraordinary exchanges and shots. A match first won, then lost, then recovered and finally lost: for quality of play, emotions, reversals and missed opportunities, it is already destined to be one of the best in the history of tennis.
Sinner does what he has to do, and does it well. Great aggression and solidity from the baseline, much more aggressive also on the return, when he often places himself further forward than usual so as not to give Alcaraz the time to show off his tennis and the chance to dominate the exchange, so much so that at the end of the match the Alto Adige player counts 45 trips to the net against the Spaniard's 33, a decidedly anomalous figure compared to the characteristics of the two. The Spaniard at times seems overwhelmed by the violence and precision of Jannik's groundstrokes, but he never gives up, he has no empty passages (except for a small one between the end of the first and the beginning of the second set) and when he lights up for 10-15 minutes he becomes unplayable.
In the end, the statistics read 193 points for Sinner, 192 for Alcaraz. Jannik, however, missed one, the most important one. The Italian can reproach himself little, but he can regret the three match points missed in the fourth set when he was ahead 5-3, 0-40, and the following game at 5-4, when he went to serve for the match and lost the game badly. Jannik also has the merit of coming back in the fifth and decisive set when it seemed over and he had much less energy than the Spaniard, but in the supertiebreak Alcaraz objectively plays on cloud nine and ends up prevailing.
FIRST SET
Very hard-fought start, with very hard-fought games, after almost half an hour we are 2-1. Alcaraz is the first to take the lead by placing the break in the fifth game, immediate counterbreak by Jannik who at 5-4 breaks the Spaniard's service again and takes home the first partial with the score of 6-4 in more than an hour.
SECOND SET
On the long wave of the first set, a sensational Sinner grows further and immediately takes a 3-0 lead. Then he holds his service games without worries until 5-3, when Alcaraz with three super answers brings himself to break point and exploits it, reopening the set. We go to the tiebreak, where Sinner is practically perfect. Jannik dominates the serves until 3-2, when the South Tyrolean with a splendid winning forehand down the line extends the lead. Immediately after, Carlitos also helps him, with a very complicated drop shot attempt that ends out. Sinner takes a 6-2 lead with a solid second serve and, after two set points cancelled by the Spaniard, closes 7-4 with a wonderful cross-court forehand on the run. After 2 hours and 11 minutes, we are 2-0 for Jannik.
THIRD SET
Sinner continues to press on the accelerator and immediately places the break at the beginning of the third set, while Alcaraz turns disconsolately to his corner, looking for solutions to counter the aggression and precision of the Italian that does not allow him to play his tennis. However, the Spaniard reacts immediately, Jannik loses reactivity and speed in his movements and the set turns towards the number 2 in the world, who scores 4 games in a row and then goes up to 5-2. It is never over, because Sinner raises the level when necessary and places the counterbreak on 5-3 Alcaraz with three amazing points. But then he has to give in: two errors and a marvelous forehand by Alcaraz give three set points to the Spaniard, who goes to the net to win the point that is worth the third set.
FOURTH SET
A slight drop in energy that is normal in a match with a frenetic pace like today's, but Sinner immediately comes back in the fourth. He raises his percentages on serve that allow him to get easy points and in response he returns to attack the Spaniard who, pushed by a Parisian crowd decidedly pro Alcaraz, cancels a break point in the third game but is forced to give up his serve to love in the seventh, with Sinner who scores some extraordinary winners. The Italian takes the lead at 5-3 and 0-40 in his favor, but Alcaraz cancels three match points and holds serve, then scores a break and rejoins Jannik at 5 all. It goes to a tiebreak, in Sinner's head the three missed match points remain. Result, few first serves and many errors, Alcaraz wins 7-3.
FIFTH SET
Now it's very tough: Alcaraz flies on the wings of enthusiasm, Sinner is physically and mentally tired and suffers the beginning of cramps, due more than anything to the nervousness for the missed opportunities. The Spaniard immediately takes a break lead, but Jannik doesn't give up. He tries to close the exchanges in a few shots (when they get longer Alcaraz gets the better of it), holds his service games and even manages to worry the number 2 in the world, until 5-4, when he places the break and reopens for the umpteenth time an infinite match. Then he holds serve and puts pressure on his rival by attacking on the return, but Alcaraz saves himself from 15-30 with two amazing defenses and climbs to the supertiebreak, where he immediately takes a 7-0 lead playing a stellar tennis, to then close 10-2.
