Tennis
French Open
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Updated 20s ago
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are underway in the men’s singles final, which rounds off the 2025 French Open in Paris today.
And it is Alcaraz who takes the early advantage, finding the first break of the match in the fifth game after spurning break-point opportunities in Sinner's opening two service games.
World No. 1 Sinner must get past defending champion Alcaraz (2) on the red clay of Court Philippe-Chatrier to lift the prestigious Coupe des Mousquetaires.
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Forty-three minutes to play six games. The difference has been two points in every game.
The pace will surely increase but at the very least this is tracking to be a looong set.
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A bit of a cheap game to concede from Alcaraz with three unforced errors.
Sinner isn't doing enough real damage to have earned parity.
Sinner *3-3 Alcaraz
Alcaraz, who has won the last four match-ups between these two, finds himself 0-30 down. Danger.
But outrageous tennis, rising into another gear at the requisite moment. Then a big serve-cushioned volley combo for 30-all.
Not out of danger, though! Sinner's return is exquisite, a dipper at Alcaraz's laces, and his sort-of jumping half-volley scoots wide. Immediate break back point, and Alcaraz nets.
And Sinner, having not really played that well, capitalises.
Sinner hit a massive inside-in forehand to save break point. It might have been a bit of fool's gold.
The harder he's swinging, the higher the risk, the less variety he's using. He then gave up the first break on two errors.
He's yet to do much more than pound the ball.
He seems to be sticking with his plan to basically ignore the surface he's playing on.
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He's actually statistically one of the best at converting break points on the tour, but Alcaraz often has matches where it takes him a while to take one.
Today is another of those matches. Alcaraz has had break points in every returning game but hasn't been able to convert.
At least, until the seventh of the match there.
Surprised that Alcaraz didn't take that backhand down the line on the first break point of the fifth game.
Sinner's running forehand is a lethal weapon, but not so much on clay, because he's less comfortable sliding into it.
Alcaraz eventually breaks into a wide grin at the end of the game. It's one of relief. Don't be fooled.
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Sinner 2-3* Alcaraz
Alcaraz flat-bats a vertical racket at what looked a cast-iron winner, it floats threateningly and has Sinner scrambling… but hits the net. Then Sinner nets as he lines up a big forehand.
30-15, another Sinner error, 30-all. Sinner winning exactly half his first-serve points (50 per cent), Alcaraz 57 per cent. That's not an insignificant margin so far.
Now that is Alcaraz stepping things up. Energetic low grunts punctuate two bullet shots in a row, troubling Sinner twice, and Alcaraz volleys away in the last of a fantastic run of three shots for a sixth break point of the match.
Can he take his first? No. Sinner shunts Alcaraz far left then middles it with a venomous forehand. That took the skin off the ball.
Deuce, but advantage Alcaraz as he forces Sinner into a frankly incredible low recovery, but whips it to the other side for another break point. Second this game, seventh of the match.
You know what they say, seventh time lucky! Sinner into the tramlines and Alcaraz offers a toothy grin and shake of his racket in celebration.
These points aren't as critical as the ones I'm remembering from the Italian Open in Rome…
But Sinner has missed two shots that would have taken him to break point millimeters from the lines, just as he missed when going for broke when he perhaps didn't need to in Italy.
He doesn't normally pull the trigger with margin that tight. But he isn't playing a normal player.
Sinner *2-2 Alcaraz
Alcaraz, at 0-15 down, tries a cheeky flicked cross-court drop shot. Unorthodox. He misses. 0-30 and a spot of bother.
He is a little fortunate that Sinner, throwing his hands at a shot down the line for 0-40, misses. And again, Sinner's 10th unforced error to Alcaraz's seven, and 30-all.
There's your Carlos! Finally Alcaraz awakens in this game and tees off with a backhand down the line, clean as a whistle. Winner. And Sinner nets. Alcaraz pumps his fist.
Two games each.
Difficult service games all round so far, but Alcaraz might be a bit happier despite having more chances to break.
The points he conceded on his serve were mostly of his own making, hitting two backhand errors in the net.
He's forcing the issue more than Sinner, with the point to get to 15-40 in the third game, alternating between lofted and driven forehands before tickling a drop shot over the net, particularly delicious.
Sinner is 14-3 on points fewer than four shots.
Alcaraz is 12-3 on points that are four or more shots.
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Alcaraz has been pummeling Sinner with big forehand blows, and in so doing he forces him back enough to hit a drop shot off that wing that earns him a couple of break points.
Sinner saves them both with big serves.
Alcaraz making the early running; Sinner just about living with him at the moment.
Sinner 2-1* Alcaraz
Ooh, Sinner recovers the first big smash but not the second.
15-30, and Alcaraz, maneuvers Sinner into the bottom-right corner of Chatrier before introducing the drop shot. Sinner gets there but can only flick it over the net hopefully and Alcaraz skis into the ball to volley it away.
15-40, two break points. Big serve, one saved. Another on second serve, another saved! Sinner just raising his level when he's in a spot of bother. The accuracy and controlled aggression under duress is so impressive. Deuce.
A well-placed backhand sends Alcaraz scrambling forlornly to his right and he almost falls over after it. Serve out wide, volleyed home. Sinner holds again.
Sinner just a little less balanced than Alcaraz on a couple of shots in that second game — the forehand in the net that ended it, and a slice that he couldn't quite whip off the ground.
The Spaniard is more practiced in the art of clay-court movement; Sinner can't tap dance on this surface, as Matt describes it, in the way that Alcaraz can.
Sinner *1-1 Alcaraz
Ah, Carlos. Do the simple things well. He has Sinner where he wants him, but the volley is straight at his opponent, another net volley misjudged, and he tries an all-or-nothing 'tweener lob. Long. 15-15 after some powerful strikes.
The TV cameras pan to singer/songwriter Pharrell Williams in the crowd. He doesn't look very Happy to be there. At 15-30, Alcaraz is fortunate to see Sinner's shot fly up off the net cord and wide.
Break point to Sinner as Alcaraz shoves a serve plus one into the net, but a massive serve bails him out. Alcaraz swinging between 9/10 and 5/10 tennis at the moment. Sinner at a steady 7/10,
With tennis icon Andre Agassi watching on, wrinkles of concentration lining his brow, Alcaraz takes the advantage and watches Sinner net. A hold each.
Always great fun to see various huge names pop up on your screen for a Grand Slam final.
Hollywood legend Dustin Hoffman has already seen a fiercely competitive opening with the first game lasting around a dozen minutes.
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Don't put too much stock in the first game of a five-set final, especially when these two players are involved. Still, some things to note in this one, which isn't even over.
Sinner 1-0* Alcaraz
Sinner passes the first examination, a 12-minute opening game.
Brilliant serve-plus-one forehand. Alcaraz nets, then goes long.
Alcaraz standing very tight to the baseline when returning and then stepping in to hit his returns, especially on second serves.
Sinner is clinging on though in this opening game, saving three break points.
