The 2025 French Open final was a rollercoaster indeed. Jannik Sinner, the World No.1, made his maiden appearance at the Roland Garros final, aiming for his first clay major title. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz roared back from two sets down, proving why he’s the defending champion. It was a thriller you didn’t want to miss! To top it off, it became the longest final in the tournament’s history, lasting five hours and 29 minutes. Fans cheered for the Spaniard and sympathized with the Italian who gave his best shot. But Andy Roddick had a different take.
On his ‘Served’ podcast, the former World No.1 praised the match between these fierce rivals. Carlos has led their last four encounters, with their head-to-head now standing at 8-4 in his favor. This contrasts with most of Jannik’s other head-to-head records. Still, these two push themselves to the absolute limit. Roddick admired their perseverance to win back points and clinch the title. He also shared a unique perspective on tennis and its players.
In a clip posted on his X, Roddick said, “I think tennis players are the best athletes in the world. Five hours and 40-something minutes on the biggest stages. You compare this to other sports… an NBA game is 48 minutes played in air conditioning, where you have teammates, half-timeouts. To say one thing doesn’t mean you’re throwing shade at someone else. I’m celebrating and applauding one set of athletes.” Bold, right? But true.
Tennis matches are a spectacle like no other. Players often say there’s no team backing them up. They face victory or defeat alone, except in doubles. Even then, the absence of a running clock adds drama to the narrative. In contrast, an NBA game has four 12-minute quarters—48 minutes total—but usually lasts 2 to 2.5 hours due to timeouts, commercials, fouls, reviews, and substitutions. Overtime periods add more time until a winner emerges.
A mental, physical, and INDIVIDUAL sport- this is pure and complete athleticism pic.twitter.com/ut5G1Ge4x3
— Served with Andy Roddick (@Served_Podcast) June 9, 2025
That’s why Roddick calls tennis “the most complete examination of an athlete that I can think of.” Speaking from experience as the 2003 US Open champion, he added, “We used to get viewed as like, ‘oh, you’re so soft, like, country club sport.’ I don’t know that that narrative exists.” His insight carries weight.
Roddick’s appreciation for their athleticism comes from having been there himself. In the 2003 Australian Open semis against Younes El Aynaoui, he battled back from two sets down to win in five hours with a 21-19 final set. He said about the 2025 finalists, “I don’t know how you can watch and not say the athleticism on display is otherworldly. I think tennis players are the best athletes in the world. The more I watch it, the more I think it.” Powerful words, right?
Additionally, Carlos and Jannik’s epic didn’t quite break the record for the longest match. That honor belongs to Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal’s 2012 Australian Open final, which lasted 5 hours and 53 minutes. Still, the 2025 French Open final came close. Even Carlos praised their tenacity on the court.
Carlos Alcaraz admitted to the “insane” level of the final
After clinching his second French Open title at just 22, Alcaraz was all praise for the epic battle on Court Philippe-Chatrier. “Today there were few moments of the match that, I mean, the level was insane,” he said in his post-match press conference. Even the Spaniard admitted that world No.1 Jannik Sinner pushed him to the edge during their marathon final. “Being Jannik on the other side of the net playing at such a great level, sometimes I thought: ‘What can I do? What can I do?’ He was moving unbelievably.”
Alcaraz’s comeback from three championship points down in the third set was nothing short of stunning. The match was a rollercoaster of high-level tennis and sheer endurance, with both players battling through more than four hours of intense play. The tension was palpable as they went neck-and-neck all the way to the wire, showcasing why this final will be remembered for ages.
Jannik Sinner, though falling short this time, was full of respect for the showdown. “It was good to see that we can produce tennis like this. It’s good for the sport and the fans,” he said. “To be part of it is very special. Of course, I’d be even happier with the big trophy, but you can’t change it now.” Such sportsmanship only adds to the excitement around these two stars.
Now, all eyes turn to the grass court season! With Wimbledon around the corner, will Carlos defend his crown once again? Can Jannik take back the win? The stage is set for another thrilling clash. What do you think? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
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