The French Open, also popularly referred to as Roland Garros, is often hailed as one of the four prestigious Grand Slam tennis tournaments in the world, held annually in Paris, France, usually from late May to early June.
Established around 134 years ago in 1891, the glorious history of the French Open has been a mainstay for legendary tennis players, including Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and many others, and has also witnessed some of the most exciting and long-drawn five-thriller sets that have kept tennis aficionados hooked to their seats for hours and in some cases even for days. Have you ever wondered about the longest men’s singles matches ever played on the clay court of Roland Garros? Well, let’s find out.
In this article we will take a look at the top four longest matches in the history of the French Open men’s singles.
Top 4 Longest Matches in the History of French Open Men’s Singles
| S.No | Year | Match details | Time |
| 1 | 2004 | Fabrice Santoro vs. Arnaud Clément | 6 hours 33 minutes |
| 2 | 2025 | Carlos Alcaraz vs. Jannik Sinner | 5 hours 29 minutes |
| 3 | 2013 | Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal | 4 hours 37 minutes |
| 4 | 2003 | Albert Costa vs. Juan Carlos Ferrero | 4 hours 22 minutes |
Fabrice Santoro vs. Arnaud Clément, 2004 – 6 Hours 33 Minutes
At the first spot in our list of the top four longest five-thriller sets in the history of French Open men’s singles, we have the iconic face-off between Fabrice Santoro and Arnaud Clément in the first round of the French Open 2024 that lasted for a record total of 6 hours 33 minutes.
Fabrice Santoro, often also referred to as “the Magician”, won the match with a final score of 6–4, 6–3, 6–7(5), 3–6, 16–14. The final set of the match lasted for a record total of two hours and the entire match lasted for a record total of 6 hours 33 minutes, making it the longest match in the history of the French Open.
Carlos Alcaraz vs. Jannik Sinner – 5 Hours 29 Minutes
The most recent French Open 2025 witnessed one of the most memorable matches in the history of Roland Garros between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner that lasted for the second-longest duration of five hours and twenty-nine minutes.
The two young gladiators of professional tennis undoubtedly took centre stage and delivered one of the most memorable and spine-chilling face-offs on the red dirt clay of Paris. At the end of the five-thriller match, Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner with the final score of 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6. The match lasted for a record total of five hours and thirty-three minutes, making it the longest final in the history of the French Open as of June 2025.
Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal – 4 Hours 37 Minutes
Next, at the third spot in our list of the top four longest matches in the history of the French Open men’s singles, we have the nail-biting clash between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, who is often also hailed as the “King of Clay”. With a final score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7, 9-7, Rafael Nadal ended up defeating Novak Djokovic and clinching his eighth French Open title.
The match lasted for the third-longest time period of four hours and thirty-seven minutes. Novak Djokovic ended up clinching the French Open three years later in 2016. The sensational clash between the two tennis stalwarts at the 2013 French Open is still hailed as one of the most memorable matches in the history of Roland Garros.
Albert Costa vs. Juan Carlos Ferrero – 4 Hours 22 Minutes
Finally, at the fourth spot in our list of the top four longest matches in the history of the French Open men’s singles, we have the spine-chilling match between Albert Costa and Juan Carlos Ferrero at the 2003 French Open. Although Albert Costa entered the tournament as an underdog, he ended up leaving tennis aficionados from all over the world entirely stunned and defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero with a final score of 6-1, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3.
The blood-curdling match at the 2003 French Open lasted for the fourth-longest time span of four hours and twenty-two minutes. Well, after his sensational victory against the seasoned tennis player Juan, Albert Costa undoubtedly established himself as one of the most surprising winners in the history of Roland Garros.
