Year after year, Carlos Alcaraz expands his area of expertise. Two years after mastering the hard court at the US Open 2022, one year after taming the grass at Wimbledon 2023, the Spaniard won his third Grand Slam title on the clay court of Roland-Garros on Sunday. In a completely new final, the first since Nadal-Puerta in 2005, the Spaniard managed to overcome a handicap of two sets to one, to finally dominate Alexander Zverev (6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6- 1, 6-2), in 4h19. Three and a half years after his failure against Dominic Thiem in the final of the US Open, where he led two rounds to zero, the German suffered another cruel failure.
At 21 years and one month, Alcaraz becomes the youngest player to win on the three reference surfaces in a Grand Slam. With three major titles, he also joins Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka among active players. And equal to his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, who won the “French” in 2003, a month after the birth of “Carlitos”. This success also underlines an unusual performance: by winning the first three Grand Slam finals of his career, the Spaniard is level with Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, Gustavo Kuerten, Stefan Edberg, Björn Borg and Jimmy Connors, the only players of the Open era to have signed such a solid success.
Very tense, the two players gave up their serve from the start. But Alcaraz seemed the least hesitant. It varied more and better. An option that quickly paid off: from 1-2, 30A, to 4-2, 0-30, the Spaniard won 14 of the 16 points contested. Disconcerted, Zverev struggled to organize himself. Inspired, Alcaraz came to the net wisely and looked for depth on the return. At 4-2, he even obtained two double break points, which Zverev dismissed, but a superb short cross forehand gave him the first set (6-3, in 43 minutes). His tactical options worked wonderfully.
Zverev found some momentum at the start of the second set. His service was finally working. He thus obtained (in vain) three break points in the first game but we felt he was more conquering. Despite the gusts, it was he who signed the first break (3-2, then 4-2). Which he quickly doubled to get back to level, a set everywhere.
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Carlos Alcaraz is the eighth Spanish player to win the “French” after Rafael Nadal (14 titles), Sergi Bruguera, Manolo Santana (two titles), Juan-Carlos Ferrero, Albert Costa, Carlos Moya and Andres Gimeno (one title).
In a game that was then in balance, the German started the debates by winning his first two white service games. But he struggled to drive the point home. More enterprising, aware that he had to take risks, Alcaraz managed a break at 3-2, then saved three break points in the next game (5-2). Each time showing himself to be much more conquering. His creativity paid off. But a redacted service game wiped out his lead. He then experienced a big slump and gave up five games in a row. On the verge of the abyss a few minutes earlier, Zverev took the lead. Faced with a rival guilty of lapses in concentration, his consistency paid off.
Alcaraz called the doctor
However, it was Alcaraz who attacked with his feet in the fourth round. A subtle lob, then an extraordinary forehand passing at the end of the race, projected him into the lead (2-0, then 4-0). Faced with a Zverev who was showing signs of fatigue, he flew through the set 6 games to 1. The German would therefore play his third match in five sets of the fortnight.
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Carlos Alcaraz won eleven of the twelve five-set matches he played. His only failure dates back to the 2022 Australian Open, where he was beaten by Matteo Berrettini.
Before the final, he had already spent 19 hours and 27 minutes on court. Since 1991, no finalist has worked so hard to qualify. The question of his physical state arose. But she did not spare Alcaraz either, who had requested the doctor’s intervention at the end of the fourth set, for pain in his adductor muscles. We got the answer quite quickly: for having signed a disastrous game, the German gave up his serve at 1 all. At 2-1, then at 3-2, Alcaraz superbly saved four, then one, break break. Before driving the point home to achieve a masterful double break (5-2). The Spaniard concluded the match in full euphoria, from his first match point. Rafael Nadal did not wait long to find out his successor.
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Alexander Zverev let 17 of the 23 break points he got slip away. That’s a success rate of only 26%.
2024-06-09 17:33:54
#Winner #Alexander #Zverev #Carlos #Alcaraz #wins #RolandGarros
