Top seed Jannik Sinner of Italy secured his place in the French Open final, setting up a highly anticipated clash with Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz after a gripping semi-final victory over Novak Djokovic on Friday.
Sinner triumphed 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) in a tense battle on Court Philippe Chatrier, dashing Djokovic’s hopes of claiming a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title. The 38-year-old Serbian star, visibly emotional, bid a heartfelt farewell to the adoring Parisian crowd as he exited the tournament.
Sinner, competing in only his second event since returning from a three-month doping ban, showcased resilience and precision to outlast the veteran. The victory propels the 23-year-old into his second Roland Garros final, where he will face defending champion Alcaraz on Sunday.
The Spaniard, seeded second, advanced earlier in the day when eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti retired injured during their semi-final. Alcaraz was leading 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-0, 2-0 when Musetti, also from Italy, was forced to withdraw, unable to continue due to injury. “It’s never fair. I want to win, but not like this,” Alcaraz said, expressing sympathy for his opponent’s abrupt exit.
The Sinner-Alcaraz final marks another chapter in their burgeoning rivalry, with the duo having dominated men’s tennis by claiming the last six major titles between them. Both players entered the clay-court Grand Slam as clear favorites, and their showdown promises to be a blockbuster.
Sinner, with his powerful baseline game, will look to counter Alcaraz’s dynamic all-court play in what is expected to be a fiercely contested battle for the Roland Garros crown.
Tennis fans worldwide eagerly await Sunday’s final, which could further cement the rise of this new generation of tennis superstars.