Carlos Alcaraz staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Alexander Zverev in a five-set French Open final on Sunday, making history as the youngest man to win Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces.
The 21-year-old battled through cramps and a two-sets-to-one deficit to secure a thrilling victory, finishing with a score of 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 after four hours and 19 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier.
“I used to rush home after school just to watch this tournament, and now I’m lifting the trophy in front of you all. Thank you so much,” an emotional Alcaraz told his family watching from the stands.
Adding the Roland Garros title to his Wimbledon win against Novak Djokovic last year and his 2022 US Open victory, Alcaraz is now poised to become the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam if he triumphs at the Australian Open next year.
Fourth seed Zverev, who recently settled a domestic abuse case in Germany, continues to seek his first major title. He previously lost a five-set final to Dominic Thiem at the 2020 US Open and has also fallen in six Slam semi-finals. Despite high hopes, Zverev was overpowered in key moments, leveling his head-to-head record with Alcaraz at 5-5.
“The atmosphere and support have been amazing,” said the 27-year-old Zverev.
Alcaraz expressed his desire to join the ranks of Spanish Roland Garros champions, including his idol Rafael Nadal. Celebrating his victory by falling to the clay in disbelief, he received a congratulatory tweet from Nadal: “Congratulations Carlos for this immense victory! Wonderful! Very happy for your successes! Vamos.”
Zverev’s Nervy Start
Zverev began the match with a double fault on the first two points, resulting in a break in the opening game. Alcaraz, also feeling the pressure of his first French Open final, committed errors that allowed Zverev to break back immediately. However, Alcaraz soon found his rhythm, breaking Zverev to love in the fifth game and taking the first set.
Despite saving three break points in a ten-minute first game of the second set, Alcaraz fell behind as Zverev capitalized on his errors to win the set decisively. Zverev continued his momentum into the third set, securing an early lead before Alcaraz fought back to break to love. Although Zverev broke back to win the set, Alcaraz regained his composure in the fourth set.
Crucial Line Call Saves Alcaraz
In the fourth set, Alcaraz broke for a 2-0 lead with a spectacular winner. Zverev’s protest over a line call rattled him, and Alcaraz dominated the set, forcing a decider despite requiring medical attention for cramps.
Zverev, with a strong record in five-set matches at Roland Garros, gifted Alcaraz a break in the third game of the fifth set. Although Alcaraz faced a potential break at 0-40 in the next game, a controversial overrule by the chair umpire allowed him to hold, a pivotal moment in the match.
Alcaraz then secured a double break with an exceptional winner, wrapping up his historic victory with a powerful forehand that Zverev couldn’t return
