Carlos Alcaraz captured his first French Open title and third Grand Slam by overcoming fourth seed Alexander Zverev in a thrilling five-set match that lasted four hours and 19 minutes on the iconic Court Philippe-Chatrier. The victory did not come easily for the young Spaniard, who admitted to having “a lot of doubts” at the end of the third set before mounting a remarkable comeback.
Alcaraz, seeded third, found himself trailing two sets to one after a dramatic turnaround in the third set where he had led 5-2 and was just two points away from winning it. Zverev, displaying tenacity and skill, won the next five games to take the set 7-5, capitalizing on Alcaraz’s uncharacteristic mistakes. This setback cast a shadow of uncertainty over Alcaraz, who revealed his inner turmoil during this critical juncture.
“Honestly, when I finished the third set, I had a lot of doubts. I’m not going to lie because I felt like my shots [weren’t] putting trouble onto Sascha. He was dominating the game very well with his serve and topspin balls. It was difficult for me,” Alcaraz confessed to Eurosport.
“It doesn’t matter that he had the serve to win the third set. I don’t know whether it was nerves. I didn’t play my best tennis in the third set, but we were in a final of a Grand Slam, so it was the time to give everything.”
Determined to shift the momentum, Alcaraz returned to his aggressive style of play, starting the fourth set strongly. He dominated Zverev, taking the set 6-1 and setting the stage for a decisive fifth set. Despite Zverev’s attempts to rally, Alcaraz held firm, saving numerous break points and ultimately securing the final set 6-2.
“It was difficult. Sascha was playing great tennis. He put a lot of pressure on with his serve and returns. I saved a lot of break points in the fifth set. It was 6-2, but I could have lost it honestly. It was really, really close. It was tricky with the wind, the shadow, and the sun. I knew very well that I had to find a way; to adapt to the conditions, and I’m happy to do it very well today,” Alcaraz reflected.
For Alcaraz, winning at Roland-Garros was a dream come true, fulfilling a childhood aspiration. “This tournament [is one] I wanted to win since I was a little kid, when I watched this tournament since I was five, six years old. It’s something great for me; a dream come true, and something I’m going to enjoy with my people,” he shared.
In his on-court speech, Alcaraz also opened up about the challenges he faced leading up to the tournament. Plagued by injuries and doubts about his fitness, his preparation was less than ideal. “The last month we were struggling a lot with the injury and coming back to Madrid and not feeling well,” he said.
“Then the next weeks, with a lot of doubts, coming here and practising not too much. I’m really grateful to have the team that I have and the people that I have around.”
Gratitude for his support team, whom he affectionately referred to as his family, was a recurring theme in Alcaraz’s reflections. “I know that everyone is giving their heart just to make me improve as a player and a person; to grow up. I’m really grateful, and I call you a team, but it’s a family, so thank you very much.”
