By Geoffrey H. Latayan
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the two biggest stars of the new generation of men’s tennis players, will clash in the final of the 2025 French Open on Sunday.
This is the first time that 22-year-old Alcaraz and 23-year-old Sinner lock horns in a Grand Slam final – as a result, the match heralds a new era in men’s tennis after two decades of dominance by Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer.
Alcaraz bids to defend French Open title
Alcaraz, who advanced past Lorenzo Musetti via fourth-set retirement in the semi-finals, is seeking to become only the third man this century to retain the Coupe des Mousquetaires after Gustavo Kuerten and Nadal.
In addition, the Spaniard is aiming to win the fifth Grand Slam title of his career.
Sinner, on the other hand, is chasing a third-successive Grand Slam triumph – and fourth overall – after winning last year’s US Open and retaining his Australian Open crown in January.
The Italian is the world No. 1 and defeated 24-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic in straight sets to set up a meeting with Alcaraz in the winner-take-all finale.
He has lost just seven matches since the start of 2024, but four of those defeats have come against Alcaraz, including a five-set reverse in last year’s Roland Garros semi-finals.
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Sinner, Alcaraz meet for 12th time
Sinner and Alcaraz will meet for the 12th time on Sunday, with the Spaniard holding a 7-4 head-to-head edge over his rival.
That record includes the Italian Open final in Rome that Alcaraz won three weeks ago, when Sinner made his return to competition after a three-month doping ban.
Alcaraz warned after that clash that Sinner would be an even greater threat in Paris with more matches under his belt, and so it has proved with the Italian yet to drop a set at the French Open.
The current world No. 2 is at least battle-tested, having won just two of his six matches in straight sets, although he did have a shorter than anticipated outing in the semi-finals after Musetti was forced to retire.
Meanwhile, Sinner is 18-1 this year and has picked up where he left off in Melbourne after a doping controversy which forced him off the courts for the Sunshine Swing in the US and the start of the clay-court season.
In the end, regardless of who wins the French Open clash between today’s top two stars, the showdown itself proves that the new generation of men’s tennis stars has already taken centre stage.
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James Mario Ajero 
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Simon Wilkes