Carlos Alcaraz created further history on Sunday at the French Open 2024, becoming the second-youngest clay-court major champion since 2000 at the age of 21. The Spaniard defeated Alexander Zverev in five sets in the final, becoming the seventh Spaniard to win the title. Alcaraz claimed that winning the Roland Garros crown in Paris fulfilled a childhood dream for him.
Alcaraz on Sunday produced one of the finest performances on the clay court to script an exceptional comeback victory over Zverev, claiming the French Open 2024 men’s singles crown on Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris. The third seed outlasted Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 to lift the trophy at Roland Garros.
Alcaraz said that, despite the difficult conditions, his proudest accomplishment was winning Roland Garros. “Winning a Grand Slam is always special. Winning your first in every Grand Slam is always super special. But in Roland Garros, knowing all the Spanish players who have won this tournament and being able to put my name on that amazing list is something unbelievable. [It is] something that I dreamed about being in this position since I started playing tennis since I was five, six years old. So it’s a great, great feeling,” Alcaraz said as quoted by ATP.
“I grew up playing on clay court, but most tournaments of the Tour it is on hard court. So I had to practise more on hard court, doing the preseason on hard court. So I started to feel more comfortable moving, hitting my shots playing on hard court, but I think my game suits very well on every surface because I practice it,” the 21-year-old Spaniard said.
Three-time major champ Alcaraz lost just two sets en route to the semi-finals in Paris before he zoomed past Jannik Sinner and Zverev in five sets to register a victory in his 14th tour-level title and eighth on clay. After expressing his delight in winning the Roland Garros title, Carlos Alcaraz talked about the difficulties he had encountered the month before. He emphasized how his team’s assistance helped him prepare for the competition last month.
“With drop shots, my volley, I wanted to develop my style of being aggressive all the time. Practising the defence and all that stuff, but my main goal is being aggressive as much as I can. So I think on grass it is pretty well or I have to do it on grass almost every time, but in all surfaces, I think it’s a pretty good thing,” he added.
Similar to his performance against Jannik Sinner in the semifinals, Alcaraz maintained composure to overcome Zverev while trailing two sets to one. After missing three weeks of action because of a right arm injury, the Spaniard improved his game to win 12 of the final 15 matches and win a major for the third year in a row when he arrived at Roland Garros. The Spaniard maintains an 11-1 record in fifth sets, often delivering his best under pressure.
“I know that when I’m playing a fifth set you have to give everything and you have to give your heart. I mean, in those moments, it’s where the top players give their best tennis. So as I said many times, I wanted to be one of the best tennis players in the world, so I have to give extra in those moments in the fifth set, I have to show the opponent that I am fresh. Like we are playing the first game of the match,” Alcaraz said.
Despite playing with strapping in Paris, the Spaniard looked especially relaxed throughout his seven matches. Alcaraz said he was pleased with the work he put in with his team, including his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, paid off. “I said before the tournament, I consider myself a player who doesn’t need too many matches on my back just to get at 100 per cent. I had a really good week here in Paris, practising with good players. I felt really well playing sets, moving, hitting my shots before the tournament began. Obviously every match that I have played, I was getting better and better,” the 2024 French Open champion said.
“All the work that I put every day before coming here and every day here has been really good work with my team that helped me to get 100 per cent physically, mentally, and hitting good shots and putting a good level on the court. So I think that’s why I performed at my best at the end of the tournament,” he added.
Alcaraz, who is 52-10 in Grand Slam matches, is the seventh Spaniard to win the Coupe des Mousquetaires.
