appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Agence France-Presse

Carlos Alcaraz said “real champions” are made in tough situations after the Spaniard saved three championship points and fought from two sets down to beat Jannik Sinner in the French Open final on Sunday.
Reigning champion Alcaraz looked set to relinquish his Roland Garros title when he fell 5-3 behind in the fourth set, but the 22-year-old instead pulled off one of the greatest escape acts in grand slam history.
Alcaraz held off three match points from 0-40 on his serve to outlast world No 1 Sinner in a thriller, winning 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6 after five hours and 29 minutes.
“When the situations are against you, you have to fight, keep fighting,” said Alcaraz, who had never before won a match from a two-set deficit. “I mean, it is a grand slam final.
“It’s no time to be tired. It’s no time to give up. It’s time to keep fighting, trying to find your moment, your good place again, and just go for it.

“I think the real champions are made in those situations when you deal with that pressure. I mean, that’s what the real champions have done in their whole careers.”
Alcaraz won his fifth grand slam in as many finals after becoming just the third man to win a major after saving match point.
Novak Djokovic was the last to do so when he beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2019.
“The match is not finished until he wins the last point,” Alcaraz said. “It’s just one point away from losing the match, yeah.
“But a lot of times people came back from match point down in the final of a grand slam or even in other matches. So I just wanted to be one of those players who saved match point in the grand slam final and ended up winning.
“I just believe all the time. I have never doubt about myself, even though in those match points down. I thought just one point at a time.”
Alcaraz extended his winning streak over Sinner to five matches, now leading their head-to-head 8-4, but this was the biggest showdown in a burgeoning rivalry between the two brightest talents of a new generation.
“This is the first match in a grand slam final. Hopefully not the last time,” Alcaraz said. “Because I mean, as I said many times, every time that we face against each other, we raise our level to the top.”
Sinner was attempting to capture his third successive grand slam after his US Open title last year and a successful defence of his Australian Open crown in January.
His 20-match winning streak at majors came to an end, as did his hopes of becoming Italy’s first French Open men’s champion since Adriano Panatta in 1976.
Sinner is a staggering 91-8 since the beginning of last year, but five of those defeats have been inflicted by Alcaraz.
“I’m sure he’s going to learn from this match, and he’s going to come back stronger the next time we are going to face against each other,” Alcaraz said. “I’m pretty sure he’s going to do his homework.
“I repeat: I’m not going to beat him forever. That’s obvious. So I have to keep learning from the matches I played against him, and hopefully play more grand slam finals.”


Meet Jelena Ostapenko, the fiery Latvian tennis star making headlines over US Open drama

Meet Sophia Thomalla, TV star and girlfriend of US Open hopeful Alexander Zverev

Meet Lorenzo Musetti, the Italian tennis star gearing up for his comeback at the US Open

China fans ask if it’s time for Zheng Qinwen to retire after first-round defeat at Queen’s

French Open

Alcaraz hails ‘real champion’ mindset after epic French Open win over Sinner

Carlos Alcaraz holds the trophy close after defending his French Open title in an epic five-set battle with Jannik Sinner. Photo: Xinhua

Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after winning the French Open final. Photo: Xinhua

Pacquiao honoured for hall of fame career, Philippine fighter says ‘best is yet to come’

Manny Pacquiao has been inducted into International Boxing Hall of Fame. Photo: Getty Images

The 2025 inductees (from left) Yessica Chavez, Michael Nunn, Anne Sophie Mathis, Ross Greenburg, Manny Pacquiao, Vinny Pazienza, Randy Gordon, Mary Jo Sanders and Kenny Bayless. Photo: Getty Images

Al-Hilal’s gaffer presentation gaffe: did they hire the wrong Inzaghi?

Simone Inzaghi was named coach of Al-Hilal, after a trophy-laden four-year spell in charge of Inter Milan. Photo: AFP

Sport

Tennis

Reigning champion saved three match points in fourth set to complete historic comeback


Reigning champion saved three match points in fourth set to complete historic comeback.


Novak Djokovic

Roger Federer

Alcaraz hails ‘real champion’ mindset after epic French Open win over Sinner

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Reigning champion saved three match points in fourth set to complete historic comeback

Reigning champion saved three match points in fourth set to complete historic comeback