2025 French Tennis Open

[Wookie]

Been watching some matches. This kinda looks like another Sinner - Alcaraz final. Alcaraz is 7-4 all time against Sinner, I think. And I’m not sure he’s beatable on clay right now. Zverev might have a chance but Sinner toyed with him in Australia. And Zverev is only getting older. 

[chasy]

Agreed but I think it’s a coin flip. Alcaraz can get a bit shakey in the final.

[JohnS]

It's quite possible that yes, this year we will get the top two men seeds meeting in the final (i.e Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz).

On the other hand, I have seen plenty of upsets on the French Open clay over the years, whereby one player who is favoured to win is 2 sets to love up and then proceeds to lose the next three sets, sometimes badly. I think a player's momentum on this surface can account for surprise results at this tournament.

[Wookie]

I thought Alcaraz was the man. But Sinner may be unbeatable right now. His “ahem” allergy meds seem to be helping his strength. 

[Wookie]

That final was one for the ages. 

[JohnS]

It certainly was. Another comeback from two sets to nil down, decided in a tie-break, and the longest French Open final ever at around 5-and-a-half hours! What more could you want?

[CigarCulture09]

It was a truly incredible final. Talk about a grueling 5 hour plus final match. And to come back from two sets down. I’ve never seen anything like that. 

[Rhinoww]

I smoked a Punch Punch for the tiebreaker. Seemed appropriate. 

[JohnS]

Jannik Sinner only lost 3 sets in this tournament, and they just happened to be the last three (consecutively)!

The only other finals that come close to this one, which I've seen, were these below:

• Gaston Gaudio def Guillermo Coria 0-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 8-6 in 2004

• Andre Agassi def Andrei Medvedev 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in 1999

• Ivan Lendl def John McEnroe 3-6, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5, 7-5 in 1984.

In my opinion, this final match is one of the greatest ever played. John McEnroe was undefeated in 1984 until this point, lost only one set on the way to the final and won the first two sets in around one hour easily. Ivan Lendl had lost four grand slam finals to this point and it seemed a fifth one was 'on the cards'. What happened next could only happen in a movie. McEnroe suffered heatstroke, lost his concentration in the third set due to off-court noise emitted from a camera, was up a break and 4-2 in the fourth and was on serve 5-6 in the fifth set when he hit a volley wide 30-40 down in that game to lose the match. Lendl won it at the only time he led the match after 4 hours and 10 minutes and McEnroe went into shock. McEnroe only lost two other matches in 1984 but this particular match haunted him long after he stopped playing. Lendl gained a new confidence as a tennis player and after 1985 McEnroe wasn't quite the same player. The best way to sum up this iconic final would to say that it was the tennis version of the 1974 'Rumble in the Jungle' Boxing match between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali.

[Ken Gargett]

12 hours ago, JohnS said:

Jannik Sinner only lost 3 sets in this tournament, and they just happened to be the last three (consecutively)!

The only other finals that come close to this one, which I've seen, were these below:

• Gaston Gaudio def Guillermo Coria 0-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 8-6 in 2004

• Andre Agassi def Andrei Medvedev 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in 1999

• Ivan Lendl def John McEnroe 3-6, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5, 7-5 in 1984.

In my opinion, this final match is one of the greatest ever played. John McEnroe was undefeated in 1984 until this point, lost only one set on the way to the final and won the first two sets in around one hour easily. Ivan Lendl had lost four grand slam finals to this point and it seemed a fifth one was 'on the cards'. What happened next could only happen in a movie. McEnroe suffered heatstroke, lost his concentration in the third set due to off-court noise emitted from a camera, was up a break and 4-2 in the fourth and was on serve 5-6 in the fifth set when he hit a volley wide 30-40 down in that game to lose the match. Lendl won it at the only time he led the match after 4 hours and 10 minutes and McEnroe went into shock. McEnroe only lost two other matches in 1984 but this particular match haunted him long after he stopped playing. Lendl gained a new confidence as a tennis player and after 1985 McEnroe wasn't quite the same player. The best way to sum up this iconic final would to say that it was the tennis version of the 1974 'Rumble in the Jungle' Boxing match between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali.

john, no question a great achievement by sinner and his opponent but now think of the achievements of heather mackay, going years without losing a set. 

[westg]

That final last night was the ultimate in physical and mental endurance at the highest level. Now I have never played tennis and much prefer our Australian football codes. One more point one more game one more set. Just sheer grit and unparalleled determination. I have so much admiration for Alcaraz and Novak. Even Nadal played his last two years which appeared that he had a rock in one of his shoes. Glad I don't have a Spanish girlfriend. Not a fan of Sinner, yep John please leave the K out 🥰.

What a spectacle that was last night. He was done on numerous occasions. What a mindset he must have. 

 

[JohnS]

It goes to show that the French Open is the most challenging tournament physically to win in modern tennis. 

As for Heather Mackay...Ken, we are talking about the Michael Jordan/Babe Ruth/Don Bradman of Women's Squash.

[Dlowil]

Nothing better than watching the tip of the sphere go at it when the stakes are the highest.