Longest Final At French Open 2025: What Made It A Record-Breaking Event

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The French Open 2025 men’s singles final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner went straight down into the history books. It will forever be remembered as the longest final at French Open 2025, played on 8 June, a game that not only broke records but also delivered dramatic results and attracted massive crowds. The match put world number 1 against world number 2 and defending champion, and redefined what tennis means to battle for Grand Slam glory.

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The Longest Final At French Open 2025?

The longest final at French Open 2025 etched its name into history books by lasting a record-breaking five hours and 29 minutes, marking the longest final at French Open ever in the Open Era. The previous record was set in 1982 when Mats Wilander defeated Guillermo Vilas in four hours and 47 minutes, which was surpassed by nearly an hour in the French Open 2025 final.

The match also became the second-longest grand slam final of all time after the Australian Open 2012 final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. So, how did a simple tennis game reach this milestone? Let’s find out.

How Did It Become The Longest Final At French Open 2025?

It takes a lot to create the longest final at French Open. Both Alcaraz and Sinner displayed an “insane” level of tennis, trading blows and hits, one after another, despite being under pressure and potentially exhausted. The match statistics revealed how closely contested the game was.

Sinner initially took command and won the first two sets with 6-4, 7-6, however, Alcaraz made a remarkable comeback and took the next two sets 6-4,7-6, saving three match points in the process. Each set was fiercely contested, with neither being able to take a commanding win.

The fifth set, like the fourth, went to a tiebreaker, with Alcaraz ultimately winning it by 10-2. The constant pressure and refusal to give up made both competitors fight to exhaustion to make it the longest final at the French Open 2025. But why did the game need five sets? Let’s find out.

Why Did The Longest Final At French Open 2025 Need 5 Sets?

The necessity for five sets at the longest final at French Open was a testament to both the players’ mental toughness and physical strength. The game needed 5 sets because:

1. Jannik Sinner’s early lead: Sinner started strong with winning the first two sets, however, Alcaraz refused to give in and won the next two sets, forcing the match into a decider.

2. Saved match points: Carlos Alcaraz’s survival in the fourth set saved him three match points. Each time Sinner was on the verge of victory, Alcaraz found a way to claw back, keeping the contest alive.

3.Best-out-of-five format: The men’s singles final at the French Open is played in a best-out-of-five format where the first player to win the first three sets is declared the winner, regardless of whether the sets were consecutive or not. Since Sinner won the first two sets and Alcaraz won the next two, there was a fifth tiebreaker set was needed to determine the winner.

4. Evenly matched style and rivalry: This was also the first major final featuring two players born in the 2000s, both at the top of their game and world standings, with a fierce rivalry. Their similar strengths and mental toughness meant neither of them would pull away, resulting in a tough battle that led to the longest final at the French Open 2025.

Overall, the longest final at French Open 2025 gave us sheer drama. Not only because of its record-breaking nature, but it also put another level to the famous Alcaraz-Sunner rivalry.

Also Read: French Open 2025 Final: All Records Broken

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