Archive June 7, 2025

French Open 2025 – men’s singles final

Date: Sunday, 8 June Time: 14:00 BST Venue: Roland Garros

The latest chapter in the burgeoning rivalry between the two brightest talents in men’s tennis will play out on one of the sport’s grandest stages for the first time in Sunday’s French Open final.

World number one Jannik Sinner and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz meet in a tantalising Paris showpiece, having already captured seven major titles between them.

The first Grand Slam final to feature two players born in 2000s heralds the beginning of a new era in the men’s game – but only one can leave Paris with their perfect record in major finals intact.

“It doesn’t get any bigger now. It’s a special moment for me and for Carlos,” said Italy’s Sinner.

This will be the first French Open men’s final between two players aged 23 or under in more than three decades.

Spanish 22-year-old Alcaraz has already amassed four Grand Slams – including beating Alexander Zverev in five sets to win last year’s Roland Garros final.

All three Grand Slam triumphs for Sinner, 23, have come on hard courts – and he is seeking to become only the sixth man in the Open era to win three consecutive majors.

Whatever the outcome on Sunday, Alcaraz and Sinner will have carved up the past six majors between them as they assert themselves in the post ‘Big Three’ era.

Speaking after his semi-final loss to Sinner, the 38-year-old Novak Djokovic said of the pair: “They’re definitely great for tennis, both of them.

“I think their rivalry is something that our sport needs, no doubt.

“The way they are playing and approaching tennis life, I think they are going to have very successful careers in the next years.

Following his US Open and Australian Open triumphs, Sinner goes into the French Open final on a 20-match winning streak at the majors.

The youngest man to reach three consecutive Grand Slam singles finals since Pete Sampras in 1994, his unshakeable consistency combined with devastating precision means he is yet to drop a set in Paris this year.

Since the start of his title-winning run at the China Open in September 2023, Sinner – who served a three-month doping suspension between February and May – has lost just nine of the 120 matches he has contested.

But four of those defeats have come in his past four meetings with Alcaraz, including in straight sets in the Italian Open final on clay last month.

Asked if he enjoys the challenge of facing Alcaraz, whom he trails 7-4 in the overall head-to-head, Sinner joked: “It’s fun and not fun.

“I think we try to push ourselves in the best possible way.

Following in the footsteps of Rafael Nadal as the second Spaniard to reach five major men’s singles finals, Alcaraz could emulate his childhood hero by winning his fifth major at the exact same age: 22 years, one month and three days.

The two-time Wimbledon champion has taken just 82 matches to reach 70 wins at slams – quicker than all but Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, who took 81.

He improved his record on clay this season to 21 wins in 22 matches – including title wins in Monte Carlo and Rome – after Lorenzo Musetti retired with injury when trailing in their semi-final.

“Most of the time it is just about suffering,” Alcaraz said when asked what it would take to beat either Sinner or Djokovic after winning Friday’s first semi-final.

“But my favourite thing is that it gives me the feedback of how I can be a better player.

“I think that’s important, and that’s beautiful. Even if I win or not, it gives you a lot of stats and feedback.”

Rob Cross won the Nordic Masters final in Denmark, taking home Stephen Bunting’s second World Series title.

After Cross failed to score in the seventh leg, the two were tied at 3-3 at the break before Bunting hit double-top and broke the throw.

Bunting finished with a 104-yard effort to move four clear at 7-3 and one point clear of victory against a struggling Cross, who finished with five straight legs.

Bunting nearly passed the 170 mark, but on his next visit, he cleaned up the remaining 25.

Bunting, who won the Bahrain Masters in January, told ITV, “I was wondering if I was going to win another title.”

Over the past few months, my doubles have been horrible. I need to work on this.

However, it means a lot when you win titles like this against the calibre of players I’m playing week in week out.

Both Luke Littler and Luke Humphries had lost in the quarter-finals.

Nathan Aspinall, who was defeated 7-5 by Bunting in the semi-finals, defeated world champion Littler 6-3.

Rayan Ait-Nouri’s signing from Wolves is on the verge of being completed for a reported sum of $ 31 million.

As the final stages of the deal, which includes £5 million in add-ons, come to an end, the 24-year-old is scheduled to have a medical at the club this weekend.

To be able to compete in the Club World Cup group stage, City would need to complete the transfer by June 10th.

Ait-Nouri, an Algeria international, was at the top of Pep Guardiola’s list to help his side’s problematic left-back problem.

Several players have had extended positions, including Oleksandr Zinchenko, Joao Cancelo, and Josko Gvardiol.

At the end of last season, Nico O’Reilly, a youngster, took over the role, including Crystal Palace’ FA Cup final defeat.

Ait-Nouri made 41 appearances in all competitions last season as the club avoided relegation, scoring five goals and adding seven assists, after signing a £14.9 million deal from Angers from Angers in 2021. The club previously spent the previous year on loan.

With Matheus Cunha set to join Manchester United, he will be Wolves’ second highly public departure of the summer.

Ait-Nouri’s goal involvements last term were higher than any other Premier League defender, demonstrating his versatility in joining attacks.

Additionally, only Trent Alexander-Arnold (53) and Leif Davis (61), Pedro Porro (57), and Trent Alexander-Arnold (53), combined to score more chances than the former Angers man (46).

The only top-flight defender to complete more dribbles last term than Ait-Nouri (64) was Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

And his forward-facing tight ball control and pace are comparable to those that Guardiola has previously excelled at.

He will also be aware that Ait-Nouri has demonstrated his ability to quickly and effectively snuff out danger.

Edu Rubio, a former Wolves coach, collaborated with Ait-Nouri during the 2022-23 campaign.

He has the opportunity to fit perfectly into Pep Guardiola’s possession-based play thanks to his technical skill, ability, and ability to keep the ball close to his feet in tight areas.

He can also dribble quickly, which is what Manchester City currently needs: players who can break lines.

Since joining the Premier League, he has improved his defensive skills, and his one-on-one defending is very high. He is physically adaptable, versatile, and plays either as an inverted full-back or as a flanker in any position.

In a possession game that Pep enjoys, he needs to improve his decision-making. He can take too many touches at once and slow down the ball’s speed. Additionally, he needs to improve his final product.