Credit: Tennis - Paris Masters tennis tournament men's singles final - Andy Murray of Britain v John Isner of the U.S. (REUTERS)/Clive Brunskill via Getty Images

Where does Carlos Alcaraz’s win over Jannik Sinner rank among the all-time best? John Isner says ‘I’m changing my tune’

Originally posted on HITC | By Peter Lynch | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 11:59 AM ET

Carlos Alcaraz’s French Open victory over Jannik Sinner is still being talked about — and it might be one of the sport’s greats.

The men’s final at Roland Garros wasn’t just about the trophy. It felt bigger than that. Two rising stars in a five-hour, 29-minute epic — with Alcaraz saving three championship points before clinching a 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(10-2) win.

Iga Swiatek congratulated Alcaraz after he lifted the Coupe des Mousquetaires, adding another chapter to a rivalry that has now produced back-to-back Grand Slam winners between them.

John Isner’s take: “Maybe it’s top three all-time”

Alcaraz’s win came just months after Sinner captured his first Slam at the Australian Open — and the Paris final added another layer to their growing rivalry. Even a few days later, former pro John Isner was still thinking about it.

On the Nothing Major Show, Isner admitted he was rethinking his initial reaction: “We did the show after the final and I’ve had a few days to digest it. I said it was a top five match of all time. I am changing my tune. I think it’s a top three match of all time. I don’t think we were over exaggerating anything.”

Jack Sock: “It felt scripted”

Alcaraz and Sinner have delivered classics before, but this one felt different. The stakes were higher. The quality never dipped. And for former pro Jack Sock, it was almost too good to be real.

“I think when I was watching it I put in the group chat it honestly felt scripted,” Sock said. “When people say that about a sporting event, it’s almost like too unbelievable what is going on.”

Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Sock continued, “The fact you can get one guy in Jannik being two sets to love up and then having match points and then it obviously fully changed and Alcaraz coming back and winning. It felt like a simulation. It felt scripted.”

“It’s almost too ridiculous to believe what you are watching, that is just more credit to those guys. I would absolutely say a top three match I have ever seen.”

With Sinner and Alcaraz now holding the last two Slam trophies and building a head-to-head that keeps delivering drama, it’s hard to argue with Sock and Isner. This rivalry might just be getting started — and Paris 2025 could be the day it became truly unmissable.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: