Cette finale restera dans les mémoires. Sur le mythique court Philippe‑Chatrier, Carlos Alcaraz, 22 ans, a remporté l'un des plus grands matchs de l’histoire du tennis. Mené deux manches à zéro par le numéro 1 mondial Jannik Sinner, l'Espagnol est parvenu à renverser la situation au terme d’une bataille épique de 5h29, la plus longue finale jamais disputée à Roland‑Garros. Après avoir concédé les deux premiers sets, Alcaraz a montré toute sa force mentale en sauvant trois balles de match dans la quatrième manche avant de l'emporter au super tie‑break, 4-6, (4)6-7, 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2). Ce succès lui offre non seulement son deuxième titre consécutif à Roland‑Garros, mais également son cinquième titre du Grand Chelem en autant de finales. Légendaire.
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00:00BNP Paribas, partenaire des plus belles histoires de Roland-Garros, aux côtés des ramasseurs de balles depuis plus de 50 ans.
00:17C'est un grand slam, c'est un grand slam.
00:32Est-ce que c'est le plus émotionnel que tu as joues en vie ?
00:35C'est le plus exciting match que j'ai joué, sans doute.
00:42Aujourd'hui je pense qu'on a tout, très bons moments, très heureux et très heureux de ce que j'ai joué aujourd'hui.
00:56C'était facile, le premier match que j'ai joué de 2 sets de l'offre, je pense que c'était une meilleure occasion pour faire ça dans la finale de la Grand Slam.
01:12Carlos, congratulations.
01:15People will probably talk about this match as they talk about Borg against McEnroe, Wimbledon in 1980, Federer-Nadal, Wimbledon 2008.
01:26How does that make you feel to have entered tennis history like that ?
01:30Honestly, if people put all the matches in that table, it's a huge honour for me.
01:43I don't know if it is at the same level as those matches, because those matches are the history of tennis and the history of sport.
01:58So, I let the people talk about it, you know, for them, it's almost the same.
02:06But for me, I mean, watching it from outside or realise what that matches in the history of tennis, I don't know if our match is in the same level as them.
02:22But just happy to put our match and our names in the history of Grand Slams, in the history of Roland Garros, and just I let the discussion to the people.
02:35Carlos, congratulations.
02:36The first half of this match wasn't really necessarily looking like a classic at first.
02:40I mean, it was up two sets and a break, and it seemed like a kind of flat match at times.
02:45I'm curious what you did to get yourself back into it, to give yourself energy, and also how much the crowd maybe helps you sort of get some more energy too late in that second set to sort of make it more of a battle.
02:57Well, honestly, it was just, I had to fight. I had to fight all the time. I had to believe all the time in myself.
03:04Honestly, yeah, when he brought myself at the beginning of the first set, I felt like everything was to his favour.
03:12I felt like, you know, everything he's doing, he was going to be in. He was going to make a winner, not mistakes.
03:23You know, hitting with the frame, going to the line. So that's what's my feeling at the beginning of the third set.
03:30So I tried to, you know, delay that thoughts from my mind and just keep it going, try to fight all the time.
03:41Obviously, the crowd and the people were really important to me today. The whole crowd were amazing.
03:49were amazing. But, you know, there were a few corners of the, you know, of the crowd that was really, really helpful for me, which I appreciate that.
03:58But, yeah, probably without them, it would have been impossible to come back.
04:07Hello, Carlos. Well done. It was incredible.
04:10Of course, this match was unique, but it's not the first time that you deliver your best tennis in the fourth, in the fifth of a very, very big match.
04:18You did it twice last year here. How did you build this ability to jump on the great moments of a match to find your best tennis on crucial points,
04:28whereas five minutes or ten minutes later, sooner, sorry, it wasn't your best tennis at all. How did you build this ability?
04:36Well, just, I always repeat myself that in specific moments that I had to go for it, no matter what, no matter if I was down,
04:50no matter if it was the super-type or the fifth, I just thought that it was time to go for it, not be afraid of the mistakes.
05:02And I think today was all about to believe in myself. I mean, I never doubt about myself today, and I tried to go for it.
05:17That's why I saw my best tennis in crucial moments, and that's why I saw my best tennis in those difficult situations.
05:29Carlitos, congratulations and thank you very much for this unique sporting experience.
05:35To a lot of us, certain parts of this match seemed unreal. Did you share the same feeling being on court?
05:43Were there certain parts of the match that were unreal to you as well?
05:46Yeah, honestly, today, I mean, there were a few moments of the match that, I mean, the level was insane.
05:58You know, being Yannick on the other side of the net, playing such a great level,
06:04sometimes I felt like, what can I do? What can I do? You know?
06:08I mean, they were moving unbelievable. They were hitting amazing shots.
06:14There were a few moments of the match that he couldn't miss any ball.
06:20So, I mean, that level, it was really, really high. And yeah, I thought sometimes about the people.
06:30About, I mean, I enjoy some part of the match. I enjoy to play such a high level against Yannick, having that battle.
06:42It was great. And I thought that the people, they were enjoying a little bit as well. So, it was, for me, honestly, it was, yeah, I thought about it. It was unreal sometimes.
06:54Carlos, congratulations, unbelievable. There were many points, unbelievable. One of them was 6'5 for him, 15'30, when he returned on your right side, and you hit an incredible cross forehand.
07:18I mean, do you remember more those kind of shots at the end of the match, fourth and fifth set, or the three match points that you saved,
07:28where he wasn't so brave as at the end of the match? Because he didn't take too many risks. What do you remember most?
07:40Difficult, huh? Five hours and 29 minutes. Shots.
07:46That's difficult to choose one. You know, that three match points were, I mean, saving those match points down were incredible, honestly.
08:00But it wasn't great points. So, I mean, it is great, honestly. I saved match points, you know, but it wasn't that good points.
08:12And, for example, the 6'5 in the fifth, 15'30 or 30 all advantage for me, 40 all. Those points, I remember pretty clear. And it was, honestly, I still don't know how I did it.
08:27I saved that game. So, probably I would choose that game.
08:42Hi, Carlos. Thanks and a big congrats for this moment. You just won your fifth Grand Slam at only 22 years old, one month and three days.
08:51It's very young and it's the same age as Rafael Nadal won his fifth Grand Slam. Does it make sense for you?
08:57Well, I mean, I have to realise that I've done it. I think that's the first step. Honestly, the coincidence of winning my fifth Grand Slam in the same age as Rafael Nadal is, I mean, I'm going to say that's the destiny, I guess.
09:22I mean, it is a stat that I'm going to keep for me forever. Win the fifth Grand Slam at the same time as Rafael Nadal, my idol, my inspirations. It's a huge honour, honestly.
09:36But, you know, hopefully it's not going to stop like this.
09:41Hi, Carlos, and congratulations over here. Today was already the 12th match you played against Yannick. How important will this match be in your rivalry?
09:50Do you think it might be a turning point? It was the first time you faced him in the final of a Grand Slam. So, how important do you think this match will remain in your rivalry with Yannick?
09:59Well, every match that I'm playing against him is important, honestly. This is the first match in a Grand Slam final. Hopefully not the last time.
10:10Because, I mean, I think, as I said many times, every time that we face against each other, we raise our level to the top. I think for the people and for the fans are important as well to have our matches.
10:25And if you want to win Grand Slam, you have to beat the best tennis players in the world. And I think it feels much better when you face them, you know, in the final.
10:39So, it's not going to be a turning point, I'm sure. He's going to learn from this match and he's going to come back stronger the next time we are going to face against each other.
10:49I'm pretty sure he's going to make his homework. I'm pretty sure I'm going to try to learn from this match as well how I can be better, how I can, you know, tactically, you know, make damage in his game.
11:06I repeat, I'm not going to beat him forever. That's obviously. So, I have to keep learning from the matches I played against him and hopefully play more Grand Slam finals.
11:24Yeah, this is the third final you've won when you've been behind and you still managed to win. Is it something you enjoy? Do you actually enjoy the pressure of being behind and coming back?
11:37Like, remember Djokovic in Wimbledon, he said three match points or two match points against Federer seemed not to feel the pressure. Is it something you like when you're coming back like this?
11:46Well, I prefer to win three sets, honestly. I mean, I'm not going to lie. But when the situations are against you, let's say that, you have to fight or keep fighting.
12:03I mean, I mean, it is a Grand Slam final. It's not time to be tired or it's not time to give up. It's time to keep fighting, trying to find your moment, your good place again and just go for it.
12:17If I like it, I think, you know, the real champions are made in that situations. When you deal with that pressure, with that situation in the best way possible,
12:30I mean, that's what the real champions have done in their whole careers. So I'm just trying to, you know, feel comfortable in that situation with the pressure and I'm not being afraid of that.
12:49You said you never doubted yourself, but when you were standing at three match points down, did you really believe you could come back and win?
12:59Yeah, absolutely. I mean, the match are not finished until he win the last point. So it's just one point away from losing the match. Yeah.
13:14But a lot of times, you know, people came back from match point down in final of a Grand Slam or even in other matches.
13:25So I just wanted to be one of those players who saved match point in the Grand Slam final and, you know, ended up winning.
13:33So I just believe all the time. I have never doubted about myself, even though in those match points down.
13:42And I thought just one point, you know, at the time, just one point and then after one point and try to save that game and keep believing. That's what I thought.
