ATP
Alcaraz storms back to win historic RG marathon final
Carlos Alcaraz set a record as he backed up his French Open title, defeating Jannik Sinner in the longest Paris final ever played on Sunday, an epic lasting for nearly five and a half hours.
The longest ever Roland Garros Final – by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos
The Spaniard claimed the fifth Grand Slam title of his fast-moving career, beating world No. 1 Sinner 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2) for a fifth consecutive time in 5.29.
The previous longest final here came in 1982, when Mats Wilander beat Guillermo Vilas in 4:42.
Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) celebrates after winning five set thriller., the longest ever Roland Garros Men’s Final- by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
The showpiece ended the Grand Slam win streak of Sinner, who has lifted trophies at the US and Australian Opens over the past eight months months.
Alcaraz saved three match points in the ninth game of the fourth set, holding serve at 3-5, 0-40 to keep his comeback alive.
Sinner has not beaten his biggest rival since 2023; the pair were playing here for the first time in a Grand Slam final.
The match was drama-filled, with Acaraz fighting back from two sets to love down for the first time in his career.
He served for victory deep into the fifth set, only to be denied by an opponent who was beginning to show some wear and tear in his legs as the final dragged on.
As Roland Garros famously said “Victory belongs to the most tenacious” Carlos Alcaraz was certainly that today. By Roger Parker Int’l Sports Fotos
But Sinner rallied, breaking for 5-all as the contest continued before Alcaraz finally dominated from a 7-0 lead in the best-of-10 super tiebreaker used in the fifth sets in Paris.
“It’s amazing to make history on this court with you, Jannik,” Alcaraz said after receiving his trophy from former great Andre Agassi.
“I’m sure you will be champion many, many times. You are a huge inspiration for everyone.
“This tournament is really special for me, I can’t wait to come back year after year. Paris will always be in my heart.”
“To put itto words, what just happened is really difficult, honestly,” Alcaraz told Eurosport. “Two sets down against the No. 1, with the level that he was playing…
“I just put my heart into it and tried to keep it going.
“Never gave up. I was just fighting. Point after point. In the end it was all heart”
Sinner did well to contain his disappointment after losing the struggle.
“Congrats to Carlos for an amazing performance, amazing everything,” the Italian said.
“It’s easier to play than to talk right now, but thanks to my team who put me in this position.
“We tried our best today, we gave everything that we had. It’s very difficult now, but it’s OK. I probably won’t sleep very well tonight.
Alcaraz earned an ATP-leading 37th win of the season and now leads Sinner 8-4 in their series and stands 5-0 in Grand Slam finals..
The 62-minute opening set got off to an agonisingly slow start, with the first game lasting 12 minutes with five deuces.
It took another seven minutes to complete a second game as the tight contest stayed on serve.
Sinner nosed ahead after the pair traded back-to-back breaks of serve.
“He then broke Alcaraz in the final game, 6-4 as the Spaniard’s return clipped the net and flew wide.
The Italian picked up the pace to start the second set, breaking Alcaraz again for 3-0 and running out a 4-1 margin.
But an Alcaraz fightback narrowed the gap, with Sinner broken for 5-4 as he served for the set before it went to a tiebreaker.
The top seed earned four set points and converted on his with a winner out wide.
Sinner began the third set with a break but lost it a game later as Alcaraz began to rally, eventually handing Sinner his only set loss of the tournament. after three hours of play.
The Italian looked to have victory in hand after a break in the fourth set and three match points as he served for it, 5-4.
But Alcaraz pulled off a great escape with a break in the 10th game before winning the tiebreaker to bring on a deciding fifth set after nearly four and a quarter hours of battle.
Main photo:-Carlos Alacaraz with Coupe des Mousquetaires after historic five set win – by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos
Alexander Zverev on Thursday made a long-sought after return to the Shanghai Masters semi-finals, booking his first final four at the event since 2019, defeating Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4.
The 2027 year-end No. 1 last got this far as the Covid pandemic began to surface in China in 2019. The event was not played 2020-2022, with the German making modest progress here over the past three editions since resumption.
After winning his 62nd match of the season, the 29-year-old was pleased with his performance.
“I think it was a huge step up. From just being on the court I felt both of us were playing really well.
“I was, a lot of the time, outhitting Alex, which is difficult to do from the baseline because he is so fast and he loves this kind of court speed here.
“I felt good and I’m happy with the step up from the past couple of matches.”
Zverev advanced in 78 minutes, sending over 10 aces as he defeated the Australian for the ninth time in their 13 matches.
Added the reigning Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows Grand Slam champion: “I’ve been handling pressure quite okay this year. In a way you play a bit more relaxed.
“Once Jannik (SInner) unfortunately announced he won’t play for the rest of the year, I’m 4,000 points ahead of everyone else, so I trust myself enough that I’m going to win [enough matches].
Zverev will play for the final to wrap up the Asian swing as he takes on Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who advanced when Arthur Gea quit their quarter-final with injury.
Alexander Zverev marked his new status as sure-thing year-end No. 1 by reaching the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday by posting a fighting 7-6 (6), 4-6, 7-6 (1) victory over Alexander Bublik..
The 29-year-old German whose two Grand Slam titles this season and the absence of injured Jannik Sinner helped him into the top spot for the first time, needed to save four early set points and deal with an ank;e issue on his journey into the last eight.
Zverev moved through in just under two and three-quarter hours to set up a match with last week’s Beijing finalist Alex de Minaur, The Australian booked his spot over Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4.
Zverev will be playing in his 40th quarter-final in a Masters 1000 and is on the hunt for an eighth trophy this season.
He said his ankle was giving problems – but not enough to affect the match outcome.”It was kind of understandable because I have been playing a lot of tennis, which is kind of a good sign because I have been playing well.
“I’m starting to feel my body more and more but happy to get through. It was a difficult match because he has been playing amazing tennis,” he said after coming from a break down in the deciding set.
De Minaur has bounced back nicely in Shanghai after quitting the Tokyo final against Carlos Alcaraz with an adductor muscle injury.
Stefanos Tsitsipas willed himself to a 401st Tour win on Monday, with the Greek advancing to the Shanghai Masters 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, over world No. 12 Taylor Fritz to reach the fourth round.
The win leaves the Greek with a 5-2 record against the American in a series dating back nine years.
The cerebral Tsitsipas credited the victory to some simple mental gymnastics.
“I was manifesting today’s match and trying to put myself in a victorious situation,” he said.
“I’ve always had big fights against him. Some of my biggest matches were played facing him on the other side of the court. I had to up my level.
“Once I started doing that, a lot of doors were open and I was really able to unleash my biggest potential out there.”
The match ended on an unusual note as the ball twice fell from the pocket of Fritz, causing each of the points in question to be replayed.
Tsitsipas missed on three match points in the mistake-marred game but secured the fightback victory a game later after two and a quarter hours.
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