What actually stood out on Sunday was Alcaraz’s extraordinary comeback from being two units down.
| Photograph Credit score: JULIAN FINNEY
Grand Slam finals carry an unmistakable aura. When a Slam closing stretches right into a five-setter, it signifies an enthralling contest between evenly matched rivals. Add a number of tie-breakers into the combo, and the sense of parity intensifies, turning the match into an absorbing duel between superior equals. These epic battles grow to be historic.
No fan can neglect two such memorable males’s tennis finals from the latest previous. The longest Grand Slam closing ever within the Open Period — a gruelling 5-hour, 53-minute battle between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal on the 2012 Australian Open — stays unmatched to today. Djokers’ celebration, throughout which he tore off his shirt, stays etched in each tennis fan’s reminiscence. Equally unforgettable is the reminiscence of each the gamers, their legs trembling, on the trophy presentation, till somebody introduced them chairs.
The 2019 Wimbledon closing between Djokovic and Roger Federer stood out for various causes. Lasting 4 hours and 57 minutes, it grew to become the primary Slam closing to function three tie-breaks within the Open Period. The sight of Djokovic squatting on Centre Courtroom and consuming grass in triumph signalled not simply victory, but in addition a poignant finish to Federer’s legendary pursuit.
Sunday’s showdown at Roland Garros between World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and World No 2 Carlos Alcaraz has earned its place among the many best Slam finals. Lasting 5 hours and 29 minutes, it’s the second-longest Grand Slam closing within the Open Period.
The chart exhibits the size in minutes for 122 Grand Slam Finals (knowledge from 1991 to 2025). Every circle corresponds to a closing. The upper the dots, the longer the finals. Curiously, in recent times, matches have been comparatively longer.
The gripping encounter additionally featured three tie-break units — solely the second time in Open Period Grand Slam finals. Nevertheless, the variety of tie-breaks must be considered with warning, as guidelines have various throughout years and Grand Slams.
The chart on the left exhibits the variety of finals that featured three/two/ one/zero tie-break units and the chart on the appropriate exhibits the variety of finals that featured 5/4/three units within the Open Period.
What actually stood out on Sunday was Alcaraz’s extraordinary comeback from being two units down. To underscore simply how uncommon this feat is: Sinner had solely as soon as earlier than misplaced a match after successful the primary two units since 2021; that was towards Djokovic at Wimbledon 2022. Certainly, within the Open Period, the variety of occasions a participant who was two units behind after which went on to grow to be the champion in a Grand Slam closing is barely eight.
The desk exhibits eight different Grand Slam finals within the Open Period during which a participant misplaced the primary two units, however ultimately received.
Extremely, the newest prevalence earlier than this was by Sinner himself, who fought again to win the 2024 Australian Open after trailing Daniil Medvedev by two units. Medvedev, sadly, has skilled this twice — beforehand it was in 2022, towards Nadal, within the Australian Open closing.
On three defining measures — a marathon encounter, a number of tie-break drama, and an unforgettable comeback — the newest Roland Garros closing emphatically earns its place among the many best championship matches ever performed.
The desk exhibits the 12 finals that Jannik Sinner reached since 2024, with the winners and losers talked about.
With 38-year-old Djokovic’s final Slam win occurring in 2023, and Nadal and Federer now retired, tennis followers are eagerly turning their gaze in direction of Sinner and Alcaraz — the rising rivals nonetheless of their 20s. Since 2024, Sinner has dominated the tour, successful 91 out of 99 matches (a 92% win price), whereas Alcaraz, throughout the identical interval, has managed to win 91 out of 109 matches (a win price comparatively decrease at 83%).
But there’s a twist. Since 2024, Alcaraz and Sinner have confronted off 5 occasions — together with three finals — and every time the Spaniard has emerged victorious. Sinner reached 12 finals on this interval, successful all 9 during which his opponent wasn’t Alcaraz (Desk 4). Whereas few have managed to unravel the Sinner puzzle, Alcaraz, regardless of faltering towards others, has maintained a flawless document towards the Italian within the final 18 months.
The info for the charts had been sourced from Tennis Summary
vignesh.r@thehindu.co.in
Revealed – June 12, 2025 07:00 am IST
