Carlos Alcaraz joins Novak Djokovic on list of men to win Grand Slam after saving Championship points
Carlos Alcaraz pulled a rabbit out of a hat at the 2025 French Open as he became only the third man to win a Grand Slam after saving Championship points before going on to win the trophy.
The Spaniard became a five-time major champion as he came from two sets to love down against world No 1 Jannik Sinner to successfully defend his crown at Roland Garros, winning 4-6, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (10-2).
But he looked out for the count midway during the fourth set as he was broken to love with Sinner going 4-3 up, and after a comfortable hold, he opened a 5-3 lead.
The Italian then dominated the Alcaraz serve early in game nine as he went 0-40 up to secure three Championship points, but the world No 2 was not to be denied as he won four points in a row to stay alive.
He then broke the Sinner serve in the next game and the set went to a tie-breaker, which he dominated to take the match to a deciding set.
And the 22-year-old came out refreshed in the fifth set as he broke in the opening game and then held off a potential fightback from the three-time major champion before wrapping it up in five hours and 29 minutes – which is now the longest French Open final in the Open Era history.
Tennis Features
What was the longest French Open men’s singles final of the Open Era?
Who are Carlos Alcaraz’s parents Carlos Alcaraz Gonzalez and Virginia Garfia Escandon?
Alcaraz, though, is not the first man to save match points in the final of a Grand Slam or the first to do it at Roland Garros.
Gaston Gaudio – 2004 French Open
The first time a player saved match points in a men’s singles final in a Grand Slam before going on to win the trophy was in 2004 when Gaudio also came from two sets to love down to beat compatriot Guillermo Coria 0–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–1, 8–6 in the final.
Coria was serving for the title at 6-5 in the decider and Gaudio saved two match points to keep the match alive before completing the historic win.
Novak Djokovic – 2019 Wimbledon
It would take another 15 years before the feat was achieved again in men’s Grand Slam tennis as Djokovic emulated Gaudio in stunning fashion at Wimbledon.
Federer looked set to win a 21st major trophy as he had two match points 7-8 in the fifth set, but Djokovic saved both and then went completed the turnaround as he won 7–6 (7–5), 1–6, 7–6 (7–4), 4–6, 13–12 (7–3).
And six years later, Alcaraz has made it a three-man club.
It has also happened twice in women’s Grand Slams with Venus Williams beating Lindsay Davenport in Wimbledon in 2005 after saving a match point in the decider while three years earlier, Jennifer Capriati also achieved the feat in the 2002 Australian Open final against Martina Hingis.
