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Tom Hamilton, Senior Author
PARIS — Carlos Alcaraz grew to become the youngest man to win Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces after defeating Alexander Zverev in 5 units to seize the French Open on Sunday.
The 2 battled for 4 hours, 19 minutes, however Alcaraz got here by 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2. His 2024 French Open title sits alongside his triumphs on the 2022 US Open and ultimately 12 months’s Wimbledon.
“Successful a Grand Slam is at all times particular,” Alcaraz mentioned afterward. “Successful your first in each Grand Slam is at all times tremendous particular.
“However in Roland Garros, understanding all of the Spanish gamers who’ve gained this event and have the ability to put my title on that tremendous record is one thing unbelievable. One thing that I dream about being on this place since I used to be began enjoying tennis, since I used to be 5, 6 years previous.”
The triumph secures Alcaraz’s spot in tennis historical past, as he turns into the seventh participant to win a Slam occasion on all three surfaces — following within the footsteps of Jimmy Connors, Mats Wilander, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. However he is the youngest to attain the feat, having turned 21 in Could.
Nadal accomplished his trio at 22 years, 7 months when he gained the 2009 Australian Open.
Alcaraz mentioned the French Open meant essentially the most to him, on condition that he got here into the competitors with harm considerations.
“Most likely this one is the second that I am actually proud about myself, as a result of every little thing that I’ve achieved the final month simply to be prepared for this event with my group, plenty of talks with them,” Alcaraz mentioned. “So I’ll say this one is essentially the most that I’m proud about myself.”
Nadal, who gained the singles title 14 occasions at Roland Garros, provided his congratulations after the match, posting on X: “Congratulations Carlos for this immense victory!!!! Massive!!!! Very glad on your successes!!!”
It was Zverev’s second Grand Slam last, however he has now misplaced each in 5 units, having fallen within the 2020 US Open last to Dominic Thiem.
“It’s what it’s,” Zverev mentioned. “Look, he performed improbable. He performed higher than me the fourth and fifth set. It is how it’s. I felt like this Grand Slam last I did every little thing I may. On the US Open I form of gave it away myself. It’s kind of completely different.”
Alcaraz, in the meantime, grew to become the primary man on the French Open to win five-set matches in each the semifinal and last since Rod Laver in 1962 — and simply the eighth to do it in any Grand Slam occasion for the reason that Open period started in 1968.
Alcaraz got here into this occasion managing an arm harm that had pressured him to withdraw from the Monte Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open. He misplaced in Madrid to Andrey Rublev and withdrew from Rome with the identical harm. So he had solely 4 matches on clay coming into the event, however he got here by the opening rounds in assured kind regardless of saying he was unable to hit his forehand at full energy. He dispatched J.J. Wolf, Jesper De Jong, Seb Korda, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Stefanos Tsitsipas en path to a semifinal with incumbent world No.1 Jannik Sinner, however Alcaraz got here by 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Zverev gained the Italian Open after which opened his Roland Garros marketing campaign by defeating 14-time champion Nadal within the first spherical. He then obtained previous David Goffin, Tallon Griekspoor, Holger Rune, Alex de Minaur and Casper Ruud to guide his spot within the last. Whereas Zverev was enjoying at Roland Garros, a trial was being held in his dwelling nation of Germany, the place he had been accused of home abuse by a former girlfriend. On Friday, it was introduced that Zverev had agreed to an out-of-court settlement.
Alcaraz began Sunday’s match as the higher of the 2 gamers, taking the primary set 6-3. He was then up a break within the second, just for Zverev to win the following 5 video games. The identical factor occurred within the third set, with Alcaraz up 5-2, solely to lose 7-5.
Alcaraz had therapy on his left leg through the break, and continued to have physio work at changeovers.
“It was one thing that I began to really feel within the semifinal,” Alcaraz mentioned. “Enjoying 5 units, it is demanding. After the match you are going to really feel one thing. If not, you are not human.”
After taking the fourth set 6-1, Alcaraz began the fifth within the ascendancy and went up a break, however Zverev threatened to interrupt again.
Down 2-1, Zverev had two break factors, and thought he’d gained the sport when Alcaraz double-faulted at 15-40. The ball was known as out, just for umpire Renaud Lichtenstein to overrule that and deem it in, which means the purpose can be replayed.
Zverev claimed later that he’d seen footage displaying that the ball was the truth is out.
“I imply, look, there is a distinction whether or not you are down 3-1 within the fifth set otherwise you’re again to 2-all. That is a deciding distinction,” Zverev mentioned afterward. “Yeah, it is irritating in the long run, however it’s what it’s. Umpires make errors. They’re additionally human, and that is OK. However after all, in a scenario like that, you would like there would not be errors.”
From there, Alcaraz saved 4 break factors in that sport and went on to shut out the fifth set to safe the title and enhance his document to 11-1 in five-set matches.
“I do know that once I’m enjoying a fifth set, you need to give every little thing, you need to give your coronary heart,” Alcaraz mentioned. “In these moments, it is the place the highest gamers give their greatest tennis. I need to be top-of-the-line tennis gamers on the planet, so have to offer my additional in these moments and present the opponent I am contemporary — like I am enjoying within the first sport of a match.”
Alcaraz now plans to get a tattoo of Sunday’s date — June 9, 2024 — to go together with the dates from his different two Grand Slams.
“I’ll do it for positive,” mentioned Alcaraz, whose US Open tattoo is on the again of his neck. “[This tattoo] shall be on the left ankle, Wimbledon was on the proper one, this shall be on the left one, with the date of at present. It is one thing I’ll do. I do not know if it’s going to take a month, or two months, however I am going to do it.
“I simply need to preserve going, and let’s examine what number of Grand Slams I’ll take on the finish of my profession. Hopefully attain the 24, however proper now I’ll take pleasure in my third one, and let’s examine sooner or later.”
ESPN Stats & Info contributed to this report.
