Roland-Garros 2025: With five Grand Slam titles at 22, Carlos Alcaraz is seen as Rafael Nadal's heir apparent

Coincidence or fate, Carlos Alcaraz won his fifth Grand Slam title at the same age, to the day, as Rafael Nadal.

Roland-Garros began with a tribute ceremony to Rafael Nadal and ended with a trophy presentation ceremony for the man who is increasingly seen as his heir, Carlos Alcaraz. The young Spaniard imitated his elder by winning his fifth Grand Slam title at exactly 22 years, 1 month and three days old, on Sunday, June 8, thanks to his victory against Jannik Sinner (4-6, 6-7 [4-7], 6-4, 7-6 [7-3], 7-6 [10-2]) , in the longest final in the history of Roland-Garros.

"I consider myself a normal person, so I don't see why someone else wouldn't manage to win 14 Roland-Garros. It will take time, at least 13 years," Rafael Nadal laughed after his tribute in Paris, subtly evoking Carlos Alcaraz, the only one to hold a title in Paris and to be able to play for a long time. But from there to thinking that Carlos Alcaraz could one day equal his mentor, the road is still far too long. The young Murcian himself sees Jannik Sinner also being crowned at Roland-Garros and "several times" during the next few years, which could prevent him from imitating his idol.

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On the other hand, the comparison between the two Spaniards is increasingly valid on other points. First, the age at which they won their fifth Grand Slam title. The same, to the day. It was at Wimbledon, in 2008, for Rafael Nadal. "This coincidence, it's destiny, I think ," smiled the younger player at a press conference after his title on Sunday. "It's a statistic that I'm going to keep to myself, forever, because he's my idol, my inspiration, and I hope I don't stop there."

Then on the love that the public seems to have for him, overwhelmingly won over to his cause, thanks perhaps to the natural connection between the two Spaniards, who had played doubles on this same clay court during the last Olympic Games. "The shouts, the support of the crowd really helped me today. There were some corners of the court that were really in my favor. I really appreciated it. I think that without them, I would not have been able to make this comeback," Alcaraz thanked in a press conference on Sunday evening.

A welcome support, because not everything was clear in the third set. "I'm not going to say that I thought he was going to come back from 5-3, 0-40 down. But with Carlos, anything is possible," said his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, after the match. But the two-time defending champion may also have been inspired by his elder, winner of the Australian Open in 2022, by coming back from two sets to zero and with three break points against him in the third set. "During the match, I saw his plaque and I thought of Rafa, I'm not going to deny it. I thought about his fighting spirit until the end of the matches," he told the press.

"I had to believe in myself the whole time ," he continued. "At the beginning of the third set, I felt like everything was going in his favor. Everything he was doing was winning points, he wasn't making mistakes. He was hitting with the frame. His points were going on the line. That was the feeling I had. I decided to put those thoughts out of my mind and keep going."

With this fighting spirit, he is now a five-time Grand Slam winner, in as many finals, at the age of 22. "For the sport, it's absolutely marvelous, incredible, to have this kind of player after Roger, Rafa, Novak who is still playing," rejoiced Juan Carlos Ferrero, while insisting on the need for his protégé to write "his own story" .