Sinner & Alcaraz's first major final set to light up Roland Garros

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s riveting rivalry will bubble over onto a Grand Slam final stage for the first time Sunday at Roland Garros.

The pair faces off in a hugely anticipated clash for the trophy at the clay-court major in Paris from not before 3 p.m. CEST/9 a.m. EDT. The runaway No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Sinner is chasing his first Roland Garros crown and third consecutive major trophy after his triumphs at last year's US Open and January’s Australian Open.

Yet Alcaraz has plenty of reasons to believe he can halt the Italian’s Grand Slam juggernaut on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The Spaniard is the defending champion, a four-time major winner, and enters the Paris showdown on a four-match Lexus ATP Head2Head winning streak against Sinner.

A blockbuster final awaits 🍿@rolandgarros | #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/svuREL561f

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Sinner and Alcaraz’s rivalry has become known for exhilarating, all-court exchanges that showcase both players’ power and precision from the baseline, lightning-fast movement and ability to pull off unthinkable winners from any part of the court.

“It's fun and not fun,” joked Sinner, who trails Alcaraz 4-7 in the pair's Lexus ATP Head2Head series, when asked about facing Alcaraz. “It's both ways, but I think we try to push ourself in the best possible way. I believe when there is a good match, it's also good to play. It's not only to watch, but also to play. It's very special.

“And the stage, it doesn't get any bigger now. Grand Slam finals against Carlos, it's a special moment for me and for him, too. He won here last year, so let's see what's coming. But for sure, the tension you feel before the match and during the match is a little bit different in a way, because we are both very young, we are both different, but talented.”

As well as representing the biggest chapter of the Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry yet, Sunday’s final will also have significant implications for Sinner and Alcaraz’s battle in the PIF ATP Rankings. If Sinner lifts the Coupe de Mousquetaires for the first time, he will on Monday reassert his authority as World No. 1 by moving a mammoth 3,430 points clear of No. 2 Alcaraz. If the Spaniard extends his hot streak against Sinner to successfully defend his crown, however, he will cut the Italian's lead to 2,030 points.

Those factors make this a big moment for both players in the context of their rivalry. With a win, Alcaraz will maintain his grip on the pair's Lexus ATP Head2Head series and continue his pursuit of a return to World No. 1, while if Sinner triumphs he will regain the momentum and with it make a big statement by claiming three straight majors.

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Sinner has certainly performed like the world’s best player so far this fortnight at Roland Garros, where he has marched to the final without dropping a set. The 23-year-old Italian is 18-1 for the year, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, and he is on a 20-match winning streak at the majors dating back to the start of his US Open title run last August.

“He's the best tennis player right now,” said Alcaraz of Sinner, who eased past three-time champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals. “I mean, he's destroying every opponent.”

Notably, however, Sinner’s sole defeat this season came in his only tour-level meeting with Alcaraz. In the final of last month’s Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome, Alcaraz delivered a relentlessly high-quality display to prevail 7-6(5), 6-1 and dash Sinner’s dream of lifting the trophy at his home ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time.

While Alcaraz has needed four sets in four of his six matches so far at 2025 Roland Garros, he currently holds all the momentum in his rivalry with Sinner. If the match goes deep, the 22-year-old Spaniard can also reflect on the fact he has prevailed in both of the pair’s previous five-setters, in the 2022 US Open quarter-finals and the Roland Garros semi-finals a year ago.

Renowned for the visible joy he plays with, former World No. 1 Alcaraz has consistently demonstrated the ability to produce his best on big occasions. He holds a 4-0 record in Grand Slam finals, and he may well feel an extra rush in his fifth major title match given the presence of his great rival Sinner (who himself is 3-0 in Slam finals), on the other side of the net.

“I love that battle,” said Alcaraz on facing the Italian. “But most of the time is just about suffering, because [he pushes] you to the limit. It gives you feedback of how I can be a better player. I think that's important, and that's beautiful. Even if I win or not, it gives you a lot of stats and gives you feedback.”