The effect of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s legendary French Open final is already clear

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Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner made history at the French Open last year.

Leading by two sets to love in the 2025 Roland Garros final, Sinner looked well on course to win his first title on the Parisian clay.

What followed was almost hard to believe.

Saving three Championship points, Alcaraz fought back to defeat Sinner 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6.

What would the score be if Carlos Alcaraz faced prime Roger Federer?

Who is winning and in how many sets?

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Against all odds, the Spaniard defended his French Open title in the longest-ever final at the event, in five hours and 29 minutes.

Many questioned what effect such a thrilling final would have on the French Open in years to come.

Looking at the ticket demand for the 2026 tournament, those questions have been answered emphatically.

85,000 fans try to buy French Open tickets within minutes of release

Licensed ticketing for the 2026 French Open was released at 9 AM on Tuesday, February 10.

It was reported that within minutes of release, over 85,000 fans were in the ticket queue.

Such high demand can only be attributed to two things: the growth of the French Open and ‘THAT’ final a year ago.

Those who didn’t make up the 15,225-capacity crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier for the 2025 men’s singles final are understandably desperate to secure a ticket this time around.

And it wasn’t just the men’s final that entertained, as several matches at the 2025 tournament had fans on the edge of their seats.

The best matches at the 2025 French Open

The women played their part in one of the greatest-ever French Open tournaments.

Not only was the women’s final a nail-biter, but Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek’s semifinal match was also a memorable clash.

And home favorite Lois Boisson starred in several three-set thrillers en route to the last four.

Given the quality of last year’s French Open, it’s clear to see why so many fans want to buy tickets for the 2026 event.

Who are the favorites to win the 2026 French Open?

In 2025, Alcaraz and Coco Gauff won French Open singles titles.

But will they return as the favorites in 2026?

In Alcaraz’s case, the answer is yes.

He’s the two-time defending champion and was near-perfect on clay in 2025.

Carlos Alcaraz’s clay-court record in 2025

• Monte-Carlo Masters – Champion
• Barcelona Open – Finalist
• Italian Open – Champion
• French Open – Champion
• Clay-court record: 22-1 (96%)

That’s not to say he won’t be challenged, though, as the likes of Sinner, Alexander Zverev, and Novak Djokovic will all travel to Paris as title hopefuls.

On the women’s side, it’s tougher to determine who the clear favorite is.

Since winning the French Open, Gauff has struggled at the Grand Slam level, losing in the first round at Wimbledon, in the fourth round of the US Open, and in the Australian Open quarterfinals.

Are you worried about Coco Gauff in 2026?

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Whether she will kick into gear when she gets back to clay remains to be seen.

Then there’s Swiatek to consider, the four-time champion.

She endured one of the worst clay-court campaigns of her career last year, but since breaking through on the WTA Tour, the Pole has been the best player on the surface by some margin.

And Sabalenka, now 1-3 in her last four Grand Slam finals, will be determined to pick up her fifth major title and her first on clay.

Only time will tell who will win the men’s and women’s singles titles at the 2026 French Open, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.

The 2026 French Open begins on Sunday, May 24.