Alcaraz rallies past Zverev for first Roland Garros title

  • Posted: Jun 09, 2024

Another major triumph, another all-time record achieved in the young career of Carlos Alcaraz.

The third seed on Sunday outlasted Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 to lift the trophy at Roland Garros. With his four-hour, 19-minute win on the Paris clay, the 21-year-old Alcaraz became the youngest player to capture a Grand Slam title on three different surfaces after his triumphs on hard courts at the 2022 US Open and grass at 2023 Wimbledon.

Just as he did against Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals, Alcaraz kept cool after falling two-sets-to-one behind to secure a gritty victory against Zverev. The Spaniard, who arrived at Roland Garros having not competed for three weeks due to a right arm injury, raised his level to win 12 of the final 15 games and secure a major crown for the third consecutive season.

As well as his three Grand Slam titles, Alcaraz has won 11 ATP Tour crowns and in 2022 became the youngest No. 1 in PIF ATP Rankings history. Although he did not consistently produce the sort of brilliant, dazzling tennis that helped him reach those milestones against Zverev, he was clinical under pressure to overhaul the German and maintain his perfect record in Grand Slam finals.

Alcaraz and Zverev both tried to mix up their play to keep their opponent on his toes, but it was Alcaraz’s ability to produce big points at big moments that ultimately proved crucial. The Spaniard converted nine of 16 break points he earned, according to Infosys Stats, with Zverev converting just six of 23.

A pivotal moment in the deciding set came with Alcaraz serving at 2-1, 15/40. The Spaniard sent down a second serve that was called out, but the chair umpire checked the mark and called it in. From nearly double-faulting to relinquish serve, Alcaraz went on to hold serve and consolidate his early fifth-set service break.

Alcaraz, who is now 52-10 in Grand Slam matches, is the seventh Spaniard to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires. That list includes his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, who won the Paris major in 2003.

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Alcaraz and Zverev’s ability to stay the course physically was tested throughout the match. The No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings Zverev spent 19 hours and 27 minutes on court en route to Sunday’s clash, the longest road to a Roland Garros final since the start of recorded match times in 1991. Yet even in defeat, the German often appeared the fresher of the two players, with Alcaraz drinking pickle juice during changeovers to ward off cramp and receiving treatment to his thigh at 4-1 in the fourth set.

Alcaraz clinched the opening set by locking in on return after a cagey start in which both players dropped their opening service game. Zverev began his second major final by serving back-to-back double faults, prompting him to immediately change his racquet. He was nonetheless broken three times in the opening set, and also had to fend off two break points to hold in another of his service games at 2-4.

Despite falling behind, Zverev kept his focus, and an improved serving performance from the fourth seed helped him halt Alcaraz’s charge on return. The German landed 83 per cent (20/24) of his first serves in the second set and won 80 per cent (16/20) of those points, according to Infosys Stats.

After winning five straight games to claim the second set, Zverev then turned the final further on its head by reeling off another five consecutive games to claim the third. Alcaraz had served for the set at 5-2, but he soon found himself two-sets-to-one down as Zverev found another hot streak.

Despite his opponent being just one set away from victory, Alcaraz did not panic. He made a rapid start to the fourth set by winning the opening four games, before saving all five break points he faced in the decider to clinch his win.

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