Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after winning Sunday's French Open final against Italy's Jannik Sinner in Paris.
Thibault Camus, Associated Press
PARIS 鈥 Carlos Alcaraz rallied from two sets down and saved three match points to beat Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2) on Sunday and retain his French Open title for a second straight year.
Alcaraz, who won his fifth Grand Slam tournament in as many finals, produced one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the clay-court tournament.
It was the first time that Sinner had lost a Grand Slam final.
The clock shows the final time: 5 hours and 29 minutes of the French Open final between Italy's Jannik Sinner and Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in Paris. It was the longest French Open final ever contested.
Thibault Camus, Associated Press
It was also the longest-ever French Open final 鈥 5 hours, 29 minutes 鈥 in the Open Era.
After 3 hours, 43 minutes, Sinner had his first match point. But with just over five hours since the match began, Alcaraz served for the title at 5-4 up.
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, right, and Italy's Jannik Sinner shake hands after Sunday's French Open final.
Thibault Camus, Associated Press
The drama was still not over.
Sinner made a remarkable retrieve from yet another superb Alcaraz drop shot. At the very limit he could stretch to, Sinner glided the ball over the net, with the ball landing with the softness of an autumn leaf and out of Alcaraz's reach to make it 15-40.
When Sinner won the game to make it 5-5, it was his turn to milk the applause and he was two points away from victory in the 12th game, with Alcaraz on serve and at 15-30 and at deuce.
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz rallied back to defend his French Open title in five sets over Italy's Jannik Sinner, on Sunday, in Paris.
Thibault Camus, Associated Press
But Alcaraz made a staggering cross-court backhand to make it 6-6 and force a tiebreaker, with the crowd going wild when Alcaraz's cross-court winner made it 4-0.
Sinner could not find a way back and Alcaraz won the match with a superb forehand pass down the line and then fell onto his back to celebrate.
The clock shows the final time: 5 hours and 29 minutes of the French Open final between Italy's Jannik Sinner and Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in Paris. It was the longest French Open final ever contested.
