Top five longest men's singles matches at French Open

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner played the longest ever final in the men’s singles event at the French Open.

The French Open is famous for many reasons. From its red soil to its heritage, the clay court Grand Slam has seen numerous players rise from the dirt. However, on occasions, the decision is not that easy, and players challenge each other to their athletic limits.

In that case, a match crosses the parameters of wins and losses. Spectators enjoy the sport, and tennis wins. Thus, on a similar note, let’s take a look at the top five longest men’s singles matches at the French Open.

5. Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner: 5 hours and 29 minutes

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner put on a spectacle at the Stade Roland Garros when they faced each other in the 2025 French Open final. After losing the first two sets in the summit clash, the Spanish tennis star crafted a memorable comeback and won the match, which had looked impossible. Alcaraz successfully defended his title and became only the third Spanish player to win the clay Grand Slam twice.

The match is also the longest-ever final in the men’s singles event in the French Open. The longest Grand Slam final in the Open Era remains the 2012 Australian Open final, played between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. The match lasted for 5 hours and 53 minutes.

4. Alex Corretja vs Hernán Gumy: 5 hours and 31 minutes

The third-round clash in the 1998 French Open between Alex Corretja and Hernán Gumy is the fourth-longest match in the history of the clay court Grand Slam. The two tennis players pushed each other’s athletic capabilities for five hours and 31 minutes under the sun on the Parisian clay.

Except for the first set, all the other sets were closely fought between the two, as Corretja eventually beat Gumy 6-1, 5-7, 6-7, 7-5, 9-7.

3. John Isner vs Paul-Henri Mathieu: 5 hours and 41 minutes

John Isner’s name isn’t foreign to long matches. He is the winner of the longest match in Open Era history. He has also played one of the longest matches at the clay Grand Slam. Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu faced Isner in the second round of the 2012 French Open. Mathieu lost the first set on a tie-break but bounced back in the second. A similar story unfolded in the two subsequent sets.

Nevertheless, the fifth set of the match lasted for almost two and a half hours, and Mathieu topped Isner 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 18-16. Mathieu made 40 unforced errors, while Isner made 98 unforced errors with 107 winners. For eight years, the match was Roland Garros’s second-longest match in history, but things changed in 2020.

Also Read: Top five youngest players to defend men’s singles title at French Open

2. Lorenzo Giustino vs Corentin Moutet: 6 hours and 5 minutes

The match between Lorenzo Giustino and Corentin Moutet at the 2020 French Open was something else. The match started with Lorenzo Giustino being bageled. He won the next two sets against Corentin Moutet on a tie-break, just to the fourth, 2-6.

The match lasted 6 hours and 5 minutes, featuring 459 points won, 145 winners, and 184 unforced errors. Italy’s Lorenzo Giustino won the match 0-6, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 18-16.

1. Fabrice Santoro vs Arnaud Clement: 6 hours and 33 minutes

The longest match in the French Open history was played between two former French tennis players, Fabrice Santoro and Arnaud Clement. The two faced each other in the first round of the 2004 French Open, and Santoro won the initial two sets without such complications. However, as soon as the third set commenced, it seemed like fatigue was catching up with Santoro.

Also Read: Top five players with most matches played at French Open in Open Era

Clement capitalised on the opportunity and won the two subsequent sets 6-7 (5), 3-6. However, the real test for both tennis stars came in the fifth set, where they played 30 games.

The match lasted a total of 6 hours and 33 minutes and was finished in two days. Fabrice Santoro beat countryman Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 16-14 in the first round fixture.

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