The moment has arrived for the much-anticipated French Open final between World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz, two fierce rivals who have captivated tennis fans worldwide. Their rivalry began at the 2021 ATP Masters 1000 Paris, where Alcaraz won 7-6(1), 7-5, and he currently leads their head-to-head 7-4. Yet, in this 2025 French Open final, the Spaniard faces a daunting challenge as Sinner dominates!

On Sunday, at Court Philippe-Chatrier, Jannik took control by winning the first two sets. After a tight first set with 11 break points, Sinner struck decisively in the 10th game to take the lead. He then relentlessly pressured Alcaraz in the second set, using sharp groundstrokes and aggressive court positioning on returns to break down the Spaniard’s defense. Sinner leads 6-4, 7-6(4). What are Carlos’ chances for a comeback?

Tennis journalist Jose Morgad took to X with a quick observation: “Carlos Alcaraz never came back from two sets down in his career.” It’s true. While Carlos has shown resilience, often rallying from a set down or big deficits within sets, he has yet to overcome a full two-set deficit in a best-of-five match. Journalist Bastien Fachan highlights this too, tweeting, “Carlos Alcaraz is 0-8 lifetime when two sets to love down…Can he do something he’s never done before against the best player in the world?” Yikes!

That’s a big hurdle for the Spaniard. Still, Alcaraz has held the upper hand against Sinner, winning four of their previous encounters. In 2024 alone, he beat Sinner three times: at the Indian Wells Masters semis, Roland Garros semis, and the China Open final. This year, despite Sinner’s strong showing at the Italian Open, Alcaraz won in straight sets. Their rivalry is fierce and evenly matched.

Additionally, Swiss Tennis on X pointed out, “Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner both have a 100% Grand Slam final record. One of them will lose for the very first time.” Alcaraz boasts a perfect 4-0 record in major finals, winning the US Open (2022), Wimbledon (2023, 2024), and the French Open (2024). On the other hand, Sinner is flawless in three Grand Slam finals, capturing the Australian Open (2024, 2025) and the US Open (2024). This showdown means one young star will taste defeat in a Grand Slam final for the first time.

Will Carlos turn things around from the third set onward and make history by coming back from two sets down? Only time will tell.

Update: The Spaniard is fighting back! Despite Sinner breaking his serve in the first game, the Spaniard quickly regained control. Striking the ball with precision, he pushed Sinner corner to corner. Alcaraz broke Sinner for the second straight time, seizing a 3-1 lead in the third set and ultimately clinching it 6-4. A close call indeed.

Remember, he still needs to win two more sets to claim the title. He can leave no room for error. But as Alcaraz said, Jannik forces him to elevate his game, even if it means leaving “on a stretcher” at the end.

Carlos Alcaraz shows his competitive side when battling Sinner

Last year at Roland Garros, Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner clashed in a heart-stopping semifinal that lasted over 4 hours and 10 minutes. The Spaniard’s aggressive style and 65 winners dazzled the crowd as he battled through every twist and turn. After the match, Alcaraz sent a fierce message to his rival: “If you wanna take me out, you’re gonna have to take me out on a stretcher.”

In that epic showdown, Alcaraz reached his first Roland Garros final by outlasting Sinner 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. The match swung wildly, with Sinner fighting a hand cramp midway but still pushing hard. Yet, Carlos’s relentless aggression and clutch forehand breaks in the fourth and fifth sets sealed the deal. He clinched victory on his third match point to a roaring crowd.

Carlos later reflected on the grind, saying, “You have to find the joy in suffering. That is the key, even more here on clay at Roland Garros. Long rallies, four-hour matches, five sets. You have to fight, you have to suffer, but as I told my team, you have to enjoy suffering.” His mindset and resilience have made him a true clay court monarch.

With nine clay titles to his name and praise even from Sinner, Alcaraz is a force to reckon with. Will he power through this match and push for another two sets? What do you think? We’d love to hear it in the comments below!