Jannik Sinner aiming to ‘delete’ Roland Garros final from memory

In the fourth set of his epic Roland Garros final against Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner had three championship points in the ninth game. The Italian was just a point away from his maiden French Open title, but he squandered his opportunity.

After battling for five hours and 29 minutes, it was Alcaraz, who successfully defended his Roland Garros title at Court Philippe-Chatrier on Sunday. For Sinner, it was nothing but a heartbreak. The Italian said he was happy to play at such a high level, but the final results hurts.

“[I am] happy to deliver this kind of level. Happy about the tournament still. But obviously this one hurts,” said Sinner, who was trying to win his fourth major and first Roland Garros crown. “[There is] not so much to talk right now. But again, I’m happy how we are trying to improve every day and trying to put myself in these kind of positions. It’s a very high-level match, that’s for sure. So happy to be part of this. But the final result hurts.”

The World No.1 said he wanted to stay positive after he could not convert three championship points in the fourth set.

“I tried to delete everything, every set. In Grand Slams you try to start from zero again,” Sinner said. “I was of course disappointed about the fourth set and match points and serving for the match. But again, I stayed there mentally. I didn’t give him any free points. When it was over, it was over.

“That’s a different feeling. Different things [are] coming through your mind. You can’t change anymore when the match is over. But when you start a fifth set, you can still change some things.”

The 23-year-old said he was physically fine and he would look to take the positives and keep improving at the top level.

“Physically, I was quite fine. Of course, tired. He was tired too, because it was physical match. It was [a] mental match. You can’t really change it. I’m still happy to be part of this match,” Sinner said. “I think it was a very, very high-level match, was long… We try to delete it somehow and take the positive and keep going. There are no other ways.”

Sinner would look to be at his best in the grass season.