Alcaraz Credits Champion Mindset To His French Open Win: 'Keep Fighting...'

Last Updated:June 09, 2025, 10:40 IST

Carlos Alcaraz credited his win to 'real champion' mindset that never falters under pressure after his French Open triumph over Jannik Sinner.

Carlos Alcaraz at the French Open. (AP).

Carlos Alcaraz stated that ‘real champions’ are forged in challenging situations after the Spaniard saved three championship points and rallied from two sets down to defeat Jannik Sinner in the French Open final on Sunday.

Defending champion Alcaraz appeared on the verge of surrendering his Roland Garros title as he trailed 5-3 in the fourth set. However, the 22-year-old executed one of the most remarkable comebacks in Grand Slam history.

Alcaraz defended three match points from 0-40 on his serve to outlast world number one Sinner in an epic battle, winning 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (10/2) after five hours and 29 minutes.

“When the situations are against you, you have to fight, keep fighting," said Alcaraz, who had never before won a match from a two-set deficit.

“I mean, it is a Grand Slam final. It’s no time to be tired. It’s no time to give up. It’s time to keep fighting, trying to find your moment, your good place again, and just go for it.

“I think the real champions are made in those situations when you deal with that pressure. I mean, that’s what the real champions have done in their whole careers."

Alcaraz secured his fifth Grand Slam title in as many finals, becoming just the third man to win a major after saving match point. The last to do so was Novak Djokovic, who defeated Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2019.

“The match is not finished until he wins the last point," said Alcaraz.

“It’s just one point away from losing the match, yeah. But a lot of times people came back from match point down in the final of a Grand Slam or even in other matches.

“So I just wanted to be one of those players who saved match point in the Grand Slam final and ended up winning.

“I just believe all the time. I have never doubted myself, even in those match points down. I thought just one point at a time."

Alcaraz recorded his fifth consecutive win over Sinner, leading their head-to-head 8-4. This match was the most significant showdown in the burgeoning rivalry between these two rising stars of a new generation.

“This is the first match in a Grand Slam final. Hopefully not the last time," said Alcaraz.

“Because I mean, as I said many times, every time that we face each other, we raise our level to the top."

Sinner was aiming for his third successive Grand Slam title after winning the US Open last year and successfully defending his Australian Open crown in January.

His 20-match winning streak at majors came to an end, as did his hopes of becoming Italy’s first French Open men’s champion since Adriano Panatta in 1976.

Sinner boasts an impressive 91-8 record since the beginning of last year, but five of those defeats have come at the hands of Alcaraz.

“I’m sure he’s going to learn from this match, and he’s going to come back stronger the next time we face each other," said Alcaraz.

“I’m pretty sure he’s going to do his homework.

“I repeat: I’m not going to beat him forever. That’s obvious. So I have to keep learning from the matches I played against him, and hopefully play more Grand Slam finals."

(with AFP inputs)

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News sports Alcaraz Credits Champion Mindset To His French Open Win: 'Keep Fighting...'