Carlos Alcaraz’s electrifying performance at the 2025 French Open, where he outlasted Jannik Sinner in a five-hour, 29-minute epic to claim his fifth Grand Slam title, has cemented his place among tennis’s elite. The 22-year-old Spaniard’s 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2) victory, marked by a stunning comeback from two sets down and saving three championship points, drew a bold assessment from Andre Agassi. The eight-time Grand Slam champion, who presented Alcaraz with the Coupe des Mousquetaires, declared that the young star surpasses even Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer in key areas, heralding him as a unique force in the sport’s history.
The final against Sinner was a showcase of Alcaraz’s relentless spirit and versatility. Trailing 5-3, 0-40 in the fourth set, he defied the odds with a searing forehand winner and a daring drop shot, igniting the Roland Garros crowd. “This one was the most exciting match that I’ve played so far, without a doubt,” Alcaraz said, his voice brimming with pride. “The match had everything, really good moments, really bad moments. I’m proud about how I dealt with everything today.” His triumph made him the youngest man to win five majors, trailing only Nadal and Bjorn Borg, and the youngest to conquer all three surfaces—hard, grass, and clay—at just 21 years and 35 days.
Agassi, speaking on TNT Sports, pinpointed Alcaraz’s exceptional movement and touch as areas where he outshines the Big Three. “His defensive speed is comparable to Djokovic, maybe better,” Agassi asserted, highlighting the Spaniard’s ability to chase down seemingly impossible shots. “And his touch, I think, rivals Roger’s. His ability to come up with shots at the most inopportune times for his opponent is something we’ve never seen consistently like this.” Unlike Federer’s elegant finesse, Nadal’s clay-court dominance, or Djokovic’s elastic defense, Alcaraz blends explosive power with delicate creativity, making him “a spaceship going against normal airplanes,” as Agassi vividly described. This was evident in his 70 winners against Sinner, including a jaw-dropping cross-court lob that shifted momentum in the fifth set.
Agassi also emphasized Alcaraz’s adaptability across surfaces, particularly on grass and clay. “Alcaraz’s best surface to me, shockingly, would be between here and Wimbledon,” he said. “I’d actually say grass might be his best surface, and the reason why I’d say grass is his best surface has nothing to do with his swings. It has to do with the less diminishing speed that happens to him [compared to] other players.” Alcaraz’s 89% win rate on grass, including his 2023 and 2024 Wimbledon titles, supports Agassi’s claim, as does his 81% clay success, underscored by back-to-back French Open crowns. By contrast, Djokovic’s 82% hard-court win rate and Nadal’s 91% on clay set high bars, but Alcaraz’s all-court prowess at such a young age sets him apart.
The Spaniard’s path to the final was a gauntlet, with five-set battles against Sinner and Alexander Zverev, plus victories over J.J. Wolf, Jesper de Jong, Sebastian Korda, Félix Auger-Aliassime, and Stefanos Tsitsipas. His coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, admitted disbelief at the comeback. “I’m not going to say that I was believing that he was able to recover from that 5-3, Love-40,” Ferrero said, marveling at Alcaraz’s resolve. The match’s intensity, with 70 unforced errors from Sinner under Alcaraz’s pressure, echoed the Big Three’s fiercest battles, yet Agassi sees Alcaraz as a singular talent. “He’s playing great tennis and has a lot of confidence right now,” Tsitsipas noted before their quarterfinal, where Alcaraz’s 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-4 win showcased his dominance.
As Alcaraz prepares for Wimbledon, where he’ll defend his title, Agassi’s praise frames him as a player who transcends his predecessors. His 42-21 record against top-10 players and perfect 5-0 mark in Grand Slam finals mirror Djokovic’s clutch mentality, but his flair—evoking Federer’s artistry and Nadal’s intensity—marks a new era. “The way he moves, the way he creates, it’s something we’ve never seen consistently like this,” Agassi reiterated, envisioning a future where Alcaraz’s legacy could eclipse even the sport’s greatest icons.
Leave a Reply