International media are falling short on Monday about the unparalleled tennis final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz at Roland Garros. Alcaraz won after a grueling five-setter of almost 5.5 hours against the Italian number one. In the international media, both tennis players receive all the praise.
“If there was any doubt, this was the confirmation of a new era in men’s tennis,” writes the BBC on Monday. “It was a true blockbuster. The question of who can fill the void at the end of the era of the ‘Big Three’ has been answered in Paris.”
The Guardian also spoke of an ‘epic final’ that puts an end to all doubts about the successors of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. “Perhaps this was the match that really brought the era of the ‘Big Three’ to an end,” the British newspaper writes.
“These two have now won the past six majors together. The only player to have beaten Sinner on the ATP Tour since last August is Alcaraz. The only one who took a set from Sinner in Paris was Alcaraz.”
The American The Athletic spoke of “perhaps the most exciting sporting contest of the year” and the “best tennis final in years.” “It was a rollercoaster of a match. 5.5 hours of exciting play and relentless drama between the two new stars of men’s tennis. It was exactly what tennis is meant to be. No one knows where this rivalry leads, but after the end of the ‘Big Three’, men’s tennis could not wish for anything better.”
‘Paris is the capital of Spain’
In Italy, there was mainly attention for Sinner’s painful loss. “It is a sporting drama for our number one,” writes La Gazzetta dello Sport. “He got three match points, but was then sucked in by the energy of Alcaraz. In the fifth set there was hope for Sinner, but the suffering lasted forever. When hope revived, Sinner became human again and Alcaraz divine. It was a monumental final.”
In Spain, Alcaraz is seen as the new Nadal. “Paris is the capital of Spain,” writes Marca, referring to the 24th Spanish Roland Garros title. Of these, Alcaraz won two and Nadal fourteen. “Alacaraz, like Nadal, has transformed the tennis park in Paris into his backyard. At 22 years, one month and three days, Alcaraz is as old as Nadal was when he won his fifth Grand Slam title.”
The French L’Equipe came out with an impressive front page on Monday morning. “5 hours and 29 minutes. A legend,” is written under the photo of the close embrace between the two rivals Sinner and Alcaraz.
“This final is in itself a legend in the sport,” continued the largest French sports newspaper. “We can write very nice words, but they will not be enough to tell the story of what Paris experienced on the 8th. This is history for eternity.”