Back when Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic ruled the courts, their relentless rivalries lifted each other to untouchable heights, a cycle of greatness that left the rest gasping. Now, a new era brews with Italian Jannik Sinner and Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz reigniting that legacy. Their matchups spark tennis alchemy, where good becomes godlike! Alcaraz has blazed through clay, fresh off his Italian Open triumph, while Sinner returns to the Grand Slam stage with the fire of his AO title still burning. But just as the Spaniard seems poised for Paris glory, Serena Williams’ ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou drops a blunt warning—one that could flip the script entirely. Curious to know what he said before the final?

Just hours before Carlos Alcaraz stepped onto the red clay of ‘Court Philippe-Chatrier’ for the 2025 Roland Garros final, the tennis mastermind Patrick Mouratoglou delivered a powerful verdict, one that peeled back the layers of psychology and pressure surrounding the young Spaniard. Taking to his IG with the caption, “What’s going through @carlitosalcarazz’s mind ahead of the 2025 #RolandGarros final? His level of calm or tension might be the difference-maker in today’s blockbuster showdown. Who’s your pick to lift the trophy? 🏆🔥” — Mouratoglou laid out what could be the defining factor in Alcaraz’s championship bid: ‘his mental state.’

“Which Carlos is gonna enter that court? Is it the one that’s excited to play the final and will be able to express his game and his qualities fully? Or is it someone that feels he needs to win, he has to win, and will come with tension?” Mouratoglou asked, sparking a critical conversation around the dual identities that Alcaraz often carries before stepping into his matches.

The Frenchman didn’t stop there, though. He zeroed in on the SF against Lorenzo Musetti, where Alcaraz appeared shaky from the start. “The first thing we have to look at going to that final is the face of Alcaraz. Because when he entered the court in the semi-final against Lorenzo Mussetti, I could feel his tension, that sometimes you don’t feel. Carlos was I think far from his best level. When he’s tense, first he doesn’t move that well, and second, it affects his inspiration,” Mouratoglou noted. It wasn’t just about form or fatigue; it was the visible tension etched across the Spaniard’s face, the weight of expectations simmering just below the surface.

Yet, as the match unfolded, the Spaniard gradually turned the tide. In the opening set, the Italian carved through with a single break, capitalizing on nervous errors from the second seed. Alcaraz held leads in the 2nd but couldn’t shut the door, pushing the set into a tense tiebreak. That’s when things changed. His shots started to hum. 

His body language snapped into focus. And the 8th seed, though valiant, couldn’t keep up, physically or mentally. After losing the third set 6–0 and trailing 0–2 in the fourth, the Italian was forced to retire, granting Alcaraz a ticket to his fifth Grand Slam final.

With that, Mouratoglou issued a final word of caution later: “Of course, he has so much margin that he wins most of the matches, but in a big final against Sinner, this will not be enough. If he’s in a good spirit, enthusiastic, happy to play, not thinking too much about other things. When he’s not caught by the tension of the match, [he is] unbeatable, He is the best player in the world.”

So, what will Carlos Alcaraz feel when he sets foot on the Parisian clay for the showdown? That, more than anything else, might just decide who lifts the Coupe des Mousquetaires.

Carlos Alcaraz opened up before facing Jannik Sinner

Carlos Alcaraz steps into the French Open final with the weight of history on his shoulders and fire in his stride. The Spaniard is the defending champion, having defeated Sinner in last year’s Roland Garros semi-final en route to the final. Add to that his twin ATP Masters 1000 titles on clay this year, and it seems like the stars are aligning. But in front of him stands a red-hot Italian Sinner, steamrolling through the draw in relentless pursuit of his maiden French Open crown.

“He’s the best tennis player right now,” Alcaraz admitted, eyes wide with respect for the top seed. “I mean, he’s destroying every opponent.” That’s not just praise, though; that’s acknowledgment of the storm coming his way.

“I love that battle. But most of the time is just about suffering, because [he pushes] you to the limit,” Alcaraz added. “It gives you feedback of how I can be a better player. I think that’s important, and that’s beautiful. Even if I win or not, it gives you a lot of stats and gives you feedback.”

This is more than just a final: it’s a rivalry entering its most epic chapter. The last two showdowns between these warriors came in championship matches, including that Roman clash where the Spaniard inched further ahead at 7-4 in their H2H.

With the top 2 seeds in ATP standing toe-to-toe in Paris, the only question that remains is, who will bleed last on the clay? Let us know your winner in the comments below!