Key reason Carlos Alcaraz won epic French Open final against Jannik Sinner is revealed
Patrick Mouratoglou has revealed the biggest factor in Carlos Alcaraz’s win in their epic French Open final was their forehands, backhands or serves.
The sporting world was enthralled by the sensational Roland Garros showdown between Alcaraz and Sinner, with the Spaniard saving three match points before winning a decisive fifth set tie breaker.
Now Mouratoglou, who is the current coach of Naomi Osaka and former coach of Serena Williams, has given his verdict on the Paris epic, as he gave his views on a detailed LinkedIn post.
“That Roland-Garros final was the best we’ve ever seen,” declared Mouratoglou.”Not because of the scoreline, or the hype, but because of the level.
“Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner played the highest level of tennis you can expect from two players today.
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“Physically, mentally, tactically; everything was there. For over five hours, the intensity never dropped.
“It took me some time to reflect on this final. I wanted to step back, absorb the emotions, and listen to what others had to say before sharing mine.
“Now, eight days later, one thing still stands out to me: the mental aspect of this final.”
Mouratoglou recently released a book looking at the mental side of tennis and sport in general and he suggested the final set was a triumph for both players, even though Alacarz eventually came out on top.
Sinner could have crumbled after he lost three match points at 5-3 in the fourth set, but he responded impressively and was close to victory again in the final game before the deciding tie-break.
“Every time one of them was close to losing, they found another gear. That happened again and again, from both sides,” said Mouratoglou.
“At two sets to one, Sinner was leading 5-3, 0-40. He had the match in hand. He didn’t convert, got broken, and lost the set.
“But he didn’t collapse. He came back in the fifth, still competing at the same intensity. That says a lot about who he is.
“As for Alcaraz, he knew exactly when it mattered most. In the super tiebreak, you could feel it: this is the moment. He went for it. And that’s what made the difference.
“This wasn’t just a final; it was a reminder of how far tennis has come. And how much of it is played in the mind.”
The two top players in men’s tennis are back in action this week as they start their grass court campaigns ahead of Wimbledon, with Alcaraz admitting he has looked back on clips of his Roland Garros win against Sinner after he took a break from the game following his Paris heroics.
“I have seen a lot of videos from that match, that moment from match point down,” he said.
“I still watch it sometimes and can’t believe I came back from that moment. Sometimes it is difficult to realise that I am in this position, that I won Roland Garros. I still watch the videos and am still in shock sometimes.
“To put it into words is really difficult honestly. To come from two sets down against the world No. 1, the level that he was playing, it is unbelievable.
“It was the first time that I have come back from 2-0 down and honestly I just put my heart into it. I just tried to keep it going, not thinking about the result.
“I think to say it was one of the best finals in the history of the Grand Slams is really high status. I have to say, there have been better finals.
“I am going to say one, Novak against Rafa in the final of the Australian Open. I think that level of final is pretty high, I am just really happy to put my name in one of the best finals.”
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