Take it from 8-time Grand Slam champion Andrea Gassi. He knows what elite level play looks like in men’s tennis. The last American to win the French Open delivered Sunday’s singles trophy to 22-year-old Carlos Alcaraz of Spain after ceasing his heart to world number one Janik Sinner at Roland Garros and winning five sets.
Alkaraz’s second consecutive Grand Slam and fifth of his flower career was unlikely after he overcomes a two-set deficit in his major for the first time in his career. Alcaraz fought triple championship points in four sets and later decided the match by scoring the first seven points of the fifth 10-point tiebreak.
According to Agassi, Alcaraz is preparing for a potentially memorable tournament later this month, given his latest heroes, considering his latest heroes.
2025 French Open: Carlos Alcaraz overtakes Janik Thinner with a majestic 5-set comeback for the fifth grand slam
Brad Crawford
“The best surface of Alcaraz, to my surprise, is between here and Wimbledon… I say grass,” Agassi said on set with Patrick McEnroe at the French Open. “The reason I say Grass has nothing to do with his swing, it has to do with the slowdown that happens to him and the other players.
“You remember – this guy has defensive speeds like Novak (Djokovic). I’m very confident that when you push him into the corner he won’t peel off defensively.”
Agassi’s first major title was in the grass at Wimbledon in 1992, but it was his final victory at the All England Club. Alkaraz wins his third consecutive Wimbledon title after weeks of taking Djokovic in the finals of the past two years.
Alcaraz’s great play expanded the stretch
Alcaraz chased almost every return punch from the sinner on Sunday’s final set with cat-like speed, and used energy from the crowds from the Parisian crowd to help promote his comeback. Alcaraz’s marathon comeback was simply unlikely until he failed the third time, considering that the sinner had won the major sets for 32 consecutive times.
He was the first man to save a match point, winning the Grand Slam Finals since Djokovic surpassed Federer at Wimbledon in 2019.
“The match won’t end until we win the final point,” Alcaraz said after the match. “Many times people came back from match points in the Grand Slam finals or in the finals of other matches, they just wanted to save match points in the Grand Slam Finals and become one of the players who ended up winning.
“I always believed. Even those match points, I never doubted myself. Just one point at a time, just one point, try saving that game and continuing to believe. That’s what I thought.”
2025 French Open: Carlos Alcaraz, Giannique Sinner said after the best men’s singles final of all time at Roland Garros
Brad Crawford
Alcaraz believed that the sinner played “surprising” tennis in the finalbut in the end, it was his fifth consecutive victory over the Italians in a hard-hitting blow. Alcaraz has become the third fastest player in men’s tennis to reach his fifth career grand slam.
“To be honest, I’m going to say that it’s fate, by the coincidence of winning my fifth Grand Slam at the same age as Rafa Nadal,” Alkaraz said. “It’s my intention to protect for me forever and to win the fifth Grand Slam at the same time as Rafa, my idol, my inspiration. It’s honestly a great honor.
“Hopefully it won’t stop like this.”
