The 2025 French Open at Roland Garros has been a showcase of raw power and precision, with world number one Jannik Sinner emerging as the tournament’s unstoppable force. However, after a crushing 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 defeat to the Italian in the third round, Czech star Jiri Lehecka boldly declared that only one player—Carlos Alcaraz—has the game to challenge Sinner’s relentless march toward the title. Lehecka’s assessment, born from the humbling experience of facing Sinner’s clinical brilliance, has added fuel to the anticipation of a potential blockbuster final between the sport’s two brightest young stars, setting the tennis world abuzz with excitement.
Sinner, the top seed and reigning US Open and Australian Open champion, delivered a masterclass against Lehecka on Court Suzanne Lenglen, racing through the match in just 94 minutes. The 23-year-old Italian won the first 11 games in a row, dropping only nine points on serve and firing 31 winners to just nine unforced errors. “He’s playing amazing, today he was 100% dominant on court,” Lehecka said, still reeling from the onslaught. “I felt like I was playing against myself, but he’s two times better at everything.” The Czech, ranked world number 34, managed a rare moment of joy when he finally got on the scoreboard at 3-1 in the second set, raising his arms to the delight of the Parisian crowd. But Sinner’s relentless baseline control and athleticism left little room for resistance, underlining why he’s the man to beat.
Lehecka, who reached the third round with impressive wins over Jordan Thompson (6-4, 6-2, 6-1) and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2), acknowledged Sinner’s near-invincibility. “In my opinion, if Jannik keeps this level, it doesn’t really matter who will be there against him,” he said. Yet, he pinpointed Alcaraz as the one player capable of disrupting Sinner’s dominance. “The only name I can think of is Carlos,” Lehecka stated. “He’s a player who likes these kinds of conditions. He knows how to move well in these conditions. He’s playing with a heavy spin. He knows how to play and when to play the drop shot; he can go to the net often. That’s something that Carlos can do very well.” Lehecka’s confidence in Alcaraz stems from the Spaniard’s recent 7-6 (5), 6-1 victory over Sinner in the Italian Open final, a result that showcased Alcaraz’s ability to outmaneuver his rival on clay.
The prospect of a Sinner-Alcaraz final is tantalizing, given their storied rivalry. Alcaraz, the defending French Open champion, leads their head-to-head 7-4, having won their last four encounters, including a five-set thriller in the 2024 Roland Garros semi-final. “He’s going to be dangerous,” Alcaraz said of Sinner after his Rome triumph, a sentiment that resonates as both players march toward a potential Paris showdown. Sinner, who returned from a three-month doping ban just weeks ago, has been flawless at Roland Garros, dispatching Arthur Rinderknech and Richard Gasquet without dropping a set. “This morning I said to my team I’m feeling well and physically ready,” Sinner shared after his win over Lehecka. “We had to go hard in the beginning because the beginning in grand slams is very important for confidence.”
For Lehecka, the loss to Sinner was a harsh lesson but also a testament to his own progress. The 23-year-old, who claimed the 2025 Brisbane International title, reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time, a significant milestone after a patchy clay season. His earlier victory over Alcaraz at the Qatar Open (6-3, 3-6, 6-4) proves his potential to compete with the elite, but against Sinner, he was outclassed. “The match was up and down since the beginning,” Lehecka reflected on his Qatar win. “I believed in myself. I knew that I had the level to produce that kind of tennis.” Yet, at Roland Garros, Sinner’s precision and power left no openings.
As Sinner prepares to face Andrey Rublev in the fourth round and Alcaraz takes on Ben Shelton, the tennis world eagerly awaits a potential final that could define the future of the sport. Lehecka’s endorsement of Alcaraz as Sinner’s sole challenger adds intrigue to a tournament already brimming with drama. With both players showcasing maturity beyond their years—Sinner with his clinical efficiency and Alcaraz with his versatile flair—the stage is set for a clash that could echo through tennis history. For now, Lehecka’s words serve as a rallying cry for Alcaraz to rise to the challenge and prove he can halt Sinner’s unstoppable run.
Leave a Reply