French Open: The 9 greatest men’s singles finals – ranked!

There are few tests tougher in tennis than playing a best-of-five-sets singles final at the French Open.

Clay courts are an endurance test and over the decades, Court Philippe Chatrier has delivered some memorable men’s singles final.

Ahead of this year’s final, we’ve looked through the record books and have ranked our nine greatest men’s singles finals.

9) 2021: Novak Djokovic def Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7(6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4

One of the better finals of recent times, Djokovic proved why he may be the greatest male player of all time as he slowly worse Tsitsipas down three years ago.

Seemingly unfazed, Tsitsipas got the tennis world talking as he edged a tight opening set and proceeded to storm to the second set.

But Djokovic doesn’t go down without a fight, and as the Greek slowly began to fade, the Serbian produced his best tennis to battle back and win the second of his three Roland Garros crowns.

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8) 1993: Sergi Bruguera def Jim Courier 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3

Bruguera probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves for winning back-to-back Roland Garros titles, especially considering he edged a classic encounter to earn the first of those wins.

The Spaniard was an underdog against two-time defending champion Courier, though battled impressively to claim a two-sets-to-one lead.

Courier was able to force a decider and with some momentum, you sense it could have gone his way, but Bruguera delivered a stunning final set to lift his first major title.

7) 2015: Stan Wawrinka def Novak Djokovic 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4

One of the most astonishing Grand Slam final performances of all time was delivered by Wawrinka nine years ago, with the Swiss star stunning Djokovic to take the title.

Djokovic was a significant favourite to claim the Career Grand Slam and looked set to do so, playing well to edge a high-quality first set.

However, Wawrinka had other ideas, and turned on the afterburners over the next three sets, bullying his opponent with some scintillating tennis to win the second of his three Slam titles.

6) 2004: Gaston Gaudio def Guillermo Coria 0-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 8-6

One of the craziest finals of all time delivered one of the French Open’s biggest surprises, with the unseeded Gaudio saving match points to beat his compatriot.

This final looked as if it would be one-sided and rather forgettable as Coria, the third seed, raced into a quick two-set lead.

But with his opponent struck by cramps and nerves, Gaudio rallied to force a decider, and after saving two championship points, struck at the death to seal a historic victory.

5) 1991: Jim Courier def Andre Agassi 3-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4

Americans haven’t thrived on clay in recent years but just over three decades ago, Courier and Agassi memorably battled it out to claim their first major title in Paris.

Runner-up 12 months before, it looked like Agassi would claim his first Grand Slam win as he impressed on his way to a 2-1 lead in sets.

But Courier, who would ultimately win four major titles, dominated the fourth set and edged the decider.

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4) 2012: Rafael Nadal def Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5

Nadal’s Roland Garros finals were more often than not a procession, but this was arguably the toughest and most memorable that he faced.

Searching for the Career Grand Slam, Djokovic was not fazed after just missing out on the first two sets and bounced back to claim an impressive third set before play was halted.

When played resumed on the Monday, Nadal needed to right the ship, and did just that to avoid a decider, claiming a pulsating four-set win.

3) 1989: Michael Chang def Stefan Edberg 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2

Chang became the youngest male Grand Slam champion in history with his sole Slam win 35 years ago, setting a record unlikely to ever be broken with a dramatic victory over Edberg.

Also competing in his first French Open final, reigning Wimbledon champion Edberg looked set for victory after rallying from a one-sided first-set loss to take a two-sets-to-one lead.

However, full of confidence after knocking out top seed Ivan Lendl earlier in the event, Chang turned a thrilling final back in his favour to lift the trophy.

2) 1999: Andre Agassi def Andrei Medvedev 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4

In a match that every tennis fan knows about, Agassi came from two sets down to complete the Career Grand Slam in Paris 25 years ago.

Playing in his first – and ultimately, only – major final, Medvedev produced the best tennis of his career to quickly move just one set away from the title.

But Agassi summoned everything he possibly could and, buoyed by the Chatrier crowd, avenged two previous final losses to claim the title that had so long eluded him.

1) 1984: Ivan Lendl def John McEnroe 3-6, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5, 7-5

A truly epic final that had significant implications for the careers of both men involved.

Having gone 0-4 in his previous major finals, it looked as if Lendl would slip to 0-5 after falling two sets down to a superb McEnroe, who was chasing a first Roland Garros victory.

But the American let a two-set lead – and a break lead in the fourth set – slip, with the Czech battling back to claim the first of his eight Grand Slam titles in extraordinary fashion.

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