Novak Djokovic kissed his hand and laid it on the grass of Roland Garros. Was it the 24-time Grand Slam winner's farewell to the French Championships?
It could have been my last match here. If this is my farewell to Roland Garros, it was a wonderful farewell in terms of atmosphere and how the crowd behaved towards me, said the Serb after the semifinal loss to world number one Jannik Sinner on Friday evening.
Won 100 ATP titles
He has won the French Championships three times and also won the OS gold on the grass in Paris last year. The former world number one has won more titles than any other male player in history.
If I want to play more here, yes. Will it be possible for me to play here in 12 months, I don't know. I said it could be my last match (here), I didn't say it was, said the 38-year-old, who recently won his 100th ATP title in his career.
The goal is to play Wimbledon in the summer and the US Open in August, but how it will be thereafter, Djokovic does not know.
The new generation of tennis stars has already taken over.
When world number one Jannik Sinner, 23, faces world number two Carlos Alcaraz, 22, in Sunday's final, it will be the first time that two male players born in the 2000s will meet in a Grand Slam final.
The duo is already compared to the rivalry that existed for two decades between Djokovic and the now retired tennis legends Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
It will take more time to compare us to the three greats, said Sinner after securing the final spot.
“Will not be bigger”
The Italian can take his third consecutive Grand Slam title and his fourth overall. The Spaniard Alcaraz is however the reigning champion in Paris and on the hunt for his fifth Grand Slam victory.
It will not be bigger than this. A Grand Slam final against Carlos, it will be special for me and for him too, said Sinner, who has lost the four previous matches against Alcaraz.
For Sinner, it is his first final on grass in Paris and he has taken all his previous Grand Slam titles on hardcourt.
Interestingly, they have never met in a Grand Slam final before and neither of the stars has lost a final of this magnitude in their careers.
On Sunday, one of them will have to put on the role of loser for the first time.
Daniel Kihlström/TT
Facts: Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz
TT
Jannik Sinner
Born: August 16, 2001.
Nationality: Italian.
Became a pro: 2018.
World ranking: Number one.
Grand Slam titles in career: Australian Open 2024, 2025, US Open 2024.
Number of titles in career: 19.
Prize money: 385 million kronor (approximately 40 million dollars).
Carlos Alcaraz
Born: May 5, 2003.
Nationality: Spanish.
Became a pro: 2018.
World ranking: Number two.
Grand Slam titles in career: US Open 2022, Wimbledon 2023, 2024, French Championships 2024.
Prize money: 402 million kronor (approximately 42 million dollars).
Number of titles in career: 19.
In head-to-head meetings: 7-4 in Carlos Alcaraz's favor.
Source: ATP's website
