Carlos Alcaraz Shocks Tennis World with Epic Comeback to Seal 2025 French Open Title

PARIS — Carlos Alcaraz arrives in Paris this week carrying the weight — and excitement — of being the man everyone wants to beat at Roland-Garros 2025. Twelve months after storming to his maiden Coupe des Mousquetaires, the 22-year-old Spaniard is back on the red dirt in irresistible form, fresh off clay-court titles in Monte-Carlo and Rome that extended his season record on the surface to 15-1. Draw drama and a favorable opener Originally slated to face former world No. 4 Kei Nishikori, Alcaraz instead opens against Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri after the Japanese star withdrew late with injury. It’s a switch that looks kind on paper, yet the defending champion was quick to stress how “really strong” the current top-30 landscape is, noting the surge of teenage Miami champion Jakub Mensik as evidence that danger now lurks in every section of the draw. A clay résumé that screams favorite Since lifting the Musketeers’ trophy last June, Alcaraz has added two more Slam titles and now owns four majors before his 23rd birthday. His 2025 clay swing has been near-perfect: a Monte-Carlo breakthrough, a runner-up finish in Barcelona, and the defense of his Rome Masters crown, where he overpowered rival Jannik Sinner in the final. Those results, coupled with world No. 1 Sinner’s post-suspension rust, have bookmakers installing Alcaraz as the tournament favorite. Nadal’s shadow and the birth of a new era This French Open is the first since Rafael Nadal’s retirement celebrations, and comparisons between the 14-time champion and his potential heir are inevitable. Nadal’s former coach Carlos Moyá sees identical “never-say-die” mentalities and a shared “killer instinct” in crucial moments — traits that historically decide long clay-court battles. Key obstacles en route to La Décima — at 22 • Jannik Sinner (No. 1 seed): could collide in a blockbuster final that would crown the tour’s defining rivalry. • Novak Djokovic (No. 4): still hunting Slam No. 25 and lurking in the opposite half. • Holger Rune & Stefanos Tsitsipas: proven clay threats positioned for fourth-round or quarter-final showdowns. Strategic tweaks Alcaraz’s camp has sharpened his slider serve out wide on the ad court to earn more free points, while fine-tuning a higher-looping forehand aimed at pushing opponents behind the baseline — a direct response to Sinner’s flat on-the-rise returns in Rome. What’s at stake • Back-to-back Roland-Garros titles — something only Nadal and Djokovic have achieved this century. • A shot at reclaiming the No. 1 ranking if he lifts the trophy and Sinner falls before the semi-finals. • The chance to become the youngest man to win five majors since Björn Borg. Bottom line With momentum, confidence and a kinder first-week path, Carlos Alcaraz starts Roland-Garros 2025 as the player to beat. If his clay-court mastery continues, Paris may witness the dawn of a new dynasty on Court Philippe-Chatrier — one forged in the image of the legend he once idolized but defined entirely on his own terms.