Greg Rusedski
Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

You can see some little fist pumps from Jannik Sinner. He knows how important it is to hold on here.

He won't want to release the beast in Carlos Alcaraz because he is a great frontrunner.

Image source, Getty Images

Jannik Sinner comes through a first pressure point to reach deuce, but he's hauled back from game point as Carlos Alcaraz continues to prove a nuisance right from the off.

A sign of what's to come, this, as the opening game rolls into a seventh minute.

Carlos Alcaraz goes for the kill with a cross-court forehand but Jannik Sinner is relieved to see it go long for 30-30.

Alcaraz is maintaining pressure in this opening game though, and will have a look at an early break point!

Image source, Getty Images

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz battles his way to the opening point as Jannik Sinner drops a forehand into the net, and then a brutal forehand lands at the back of the court to draw another error from the world number one for 15-30. Strong start by the Spaniard here.

Ready? You better to be.

It's Jannik Sinner to serve first in the French Open men's singles final.

Image source, Getty Images

Who are you backing to win this one?

Thumbs up for Jannik Sinner.

Thumbs down for Carlos Alcaraz.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport senior tennis reporter at Roland Garros

Image source, BBC Sport

The stage is set.

After a cacophony of noise greets the arrival of each player, the 15,000 crowd falls into a hush as the players begin their final warm-up.

Excitement and tension in equal doses.

Greg Rusedski
Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

Even if this game is settled in three sets, it is going to be long and physical. The points are going to be incredible.

These two have never lost in a major final - Sinner is trying to win three majors in a row and Alcaraz has won four in total, but someone has got to lose today. There is a lot of pride at stake.

I think whoever wins this is going to come down to one or two big moments.

Image source, EPA

In addition to lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires, the men's singles champion will pocket 2.55m euros (£2.15m) in prize money and gain 2,000 ranking points.

Whatever happens, Jannik Sinner will remain world number one, ahead of Carlos Alcaraz.

Sinner could increase his lead over Carlos Alcaraz in the world rankings to 3,430 points with victory.

Lose, and Alcaraz will reduce the gap to a still-significant 2,030 points.

As champion, Alcaraz has 2,000 points to protect in Paris - just as he will at Wimbledon next month, whereas Sinner lost in the quarter-finals in London last year.

Here come the players!

Both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are going through their final drills in the tunnel before they begin their walk and hear their names announced to the crowd.

A packed Court Philippe Chatrier stands to applaud first Alcaraz, then Sinner, and we are just moments away from the start of their eagerly anticipated first meeting in a major final.

The new era in men's tennis is here, and it's going to be a lot of fun.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport senior tennis reporter at Roland Garros

Image source, BBC Sport

Here's your all-important daily weather update.

There is not any rain forecast in south-west Paris this afternoon - according to my usually-reliable weather app - so we don't expect the roof to be needed on Court Philippe Chatrier at any stage.

Lovely and warm. However, it is a bit blowy again. The gusts are strong enough to whip the accreditation lanyard around your neck and ruffle the wax-heavy coiffured quiff.

That could prove key, like it did in yesterday's women's final.

Aryna Sabalenka could not get on top of the testing conditions and came unstuck as Coco Gauff's gritty defensive game drew out mistakes.

You'd think that would potentially upset Sinner's mechanical game more.

After today, seven of the past eight Grand Slam tournaments will have been won by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Only Novak Djokovic's 24th major at the 2023 US Open has broken that streak.

Both Alcaraz and Sinner boast 19-6 records in tour-level finals, and today's champion will become the first man born in 2000 or later to win 20 career titles.

As we had before yesterday's women's singles final, we have another ceremony taking place on Court Philippe Chatrier to help warm up the crowd before what promises to be a memorable final.

As it comes to its conclusion, the trophy rises out of a wooden podium, clouded by smoke. They know how to put on a show in Paris.

Smoke is also released from the top of the stadium, representing the colours of the French tricolour flag. That should, hopefully, mean we're into the final countdown before the players walk out.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport senior tennis reporter at Roland Garros

Image source, BBC Sport

This is who Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are trying to emulate.

In the shadow of Court Philippe Chatrier, a metallic statue pays homage to Rafael Nadal - the greatest clay-court player to have graced Roland Garros.

The 14-time champion was here in the flesh a fortnight ago for a special retirement send-off.

This sculpture will be here every day for eternity and, as you can imagine, is a popular photo spot for the tennis tourists.

David Law
Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

Jannik Sinner did look a bit rusty in that Rome final. He ran out of gas against Carlos Alcaraz, so I think that will be an interesting factor if this final goes long.

Alcaraz has an incredible record over five sets.

He has only ever lost one match that has gone the distance, whereas Sinner hasn't actually won a match over four hours in duration.

Image source, Getty Images

Following in the footsteps of Rafael Nadal as the second Spaniard to reach five major men's singles finals, Carlos Alcaraz could emulate his childhood hero by winning his fifth major at the exact same age: 22 years, one month and three days.

The two-time Wimbledon champion has taken just 82 matches to reach 70 wins at slams - quicker than all but Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, who took 81.

He improved his record on clay this season to 21 wins in 22 matches - including title wins in Monte Carlo and Rome - after Lorenzo Musetti retired with injury when trailing in their semi-final.

"Most of the time it is just about suffering," Alcaraz said when asked what it would take to beat either Sinner or Djokovic after winning Friday's first semi-final.

"But my favourite thing is that it gives me the feedback of how I can be a better player. I think that's important, and that's beautiful. Even if I win or not, it gives you a lot of stats and feedback."

On Jannik Sinner, he added: "He's the best tennis player right now. I mean, he's destroying every opponent."

Naomi Broady
British player on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

This is the first men's Grand Slam final where both players are born in the 2000s.

Carlos Alcaraz is almost two years younger than Jannik Sinner, so maybe Sinner has the slight edge on emotional maturity here.

Alcaraz's mind wanders at times when he is out there on the court. He almost has too many shot choices because he is so talented. He could hit 10 different shots and make them all.

I think he gets a little too excited and carried away at times, but he always has that big charismatic smile on his face. It's so hard to not be endeared by him and I think that's why he is the people's favourite, even at his young age.

Image source, Getty Images

Following his US Open and Australian Open triumphs, Jannik Sinner heads into the French Open final on a 20-match winning streak at the majors.

The youngest man to reach three consecutive Grand Slam singles finals since Pete Sampras in 1994, his unshakeable consistency combined with devastating precision means he is yet to drop a set in Paris this year.

But Carlos Alcaraz has proven to be Sinner's kryptonite of late.

Since the start of his title-winning run at the China Open in September 2023, Sinner - who served a three-month doping suspension between February and May - has lost just nine of the 120 matches he has contested.

But four of those defeats have come in his past four meetings with Alcaraz, including in straight sets in the Italian Open final on clay last month.

Asked if he enjoys the challenge of facing Alcaraz, whom he trails 7-4 in the overall head-to-head, Sinner joked: "It's fun and not fun. I think we try to push ourselves in the best possible way.

"I believe when there is a good match, it's also good to play [it]. It's very special."

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport senior tennis reporter at Roland Garros

For so many years, Roland Garros has been taken over by the Spanish on men's final day.

Today, even though Carlos Alcaraz is back in the final, there has been an Italian invasion.

Retro Italia 90 football shirts, Il Tricolore flags and even green, white and red curly wigs have been spotted outside.

The Italians arrived early, of course, with Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini playing in the women's doubles final earlier.

With their triumph, one half of the Italian job is complete...

David Law
Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

Everybody is talking about this match. This is really the only match in town.

Everybody has wanted to see Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the world number one and the defending champion respectively, clash in a Grand Slam final.

We could see another dozen of these clashes over the years but this is the starting point.