Carlos Alcaraz won his first French Open title on Sunday, defeating Alexander Zverev in the 2024 final. With the victory, the Spaniard completed the Surface Slam – winning the Major on all three surfaces.
Alcaraz started the final on the front foot, taking a 1-0 lead in the opening game of the match. Zverev won a break, and the Spaniard again held a 4-2 lead, playing measured and patient tennis. Then he secured the third break of the set and took the score 6-3.
In the second set, Alcaraz survived the opening serve with a tough service game and saved three break points, although the score was 40*-0 at one stage. In the match at 2:2, Alexander Zverev managed the first break of service and took the lead for the first time.
After going up 4-2, the 27-year-old man broke serve for the second time in a row, winning the set 6-2. The third set began with Zverev increasing his aggression and threatening to break Alcaraz’s serve while himself doing brilliantly.
However, at 2*-3, the world No. 3 took the lead, breaking Zverev’s 0*-40 to lead 4-2. In the next service game, the Spaniard was in trouble but saved three break points to secure a 5-2 break. Zverev then won four straight games in a remarkable turnaround to make it 6-5 and earn a chance to serve for the set.
Although Alcaraz saved the first set point, the German world number 4 converted the second to take the set 7-5 and move within a set of winning her first Grand Slam title.
In the fourth set, Carlos Alcaraz came out spitting fire right out of the blocks, breaking early with aggressive tennis and taking a 3-0 lead. Although he broke again to go 4-0 up, Zverev responded by getting one break back.
At 4-1 down, Alcaraz decided to take a short medical break as physios rushed to the court to help the world number three with his legs. Despite his physical concerns, the 21-year-old won the next two games to take the set 6-1 and force a decider. After playing in a one-set shootout at the French Open, the duo tied the first two games 1-1.
Alcaraz, gradually gaining confidence in his hitting, then drew first blood and broke the German’s serve at 15*-40 to take a 2-1 lead. He then saved three break points to take a 3-1 lead after 10 minutes of service. The Spaniard broke Zverev again to extend his lead and raced to a 5-2 lead to win the title.
Alcaraz was able to close it out without a problem, ending the set 6-2 after four hours and 20 minutes of play under the sun in Paris. Carlos Alcaraz has now won his first three slams on three different surfaces. Before today, he won the 2022 US Open on hard courts and the 2023 Wimbledon on grass.
Carlos Alcaraz on his 2024 French Open title win
Speaking at the trophy ceremony after defeating Alexander Zverev in the 2024 French Open final, Carlos Alcaraz said winning the title was an “incredible job”.
Alcaraz thanked his team for their support in preparing him for the Claycourt Major, especially since he did not compete for three weeks before arriving at Roland-Garros due to a right-hand injury. This injury also prevented him from participating in the Italian Open.
“It’s been an incredible job. We’ve struggled a lot over the last month with the injury. I’m very thankful to have the team and the people around me. I know that everyone in my team gives their heart to grow me as a player and as a person. grow up So I’m very grateful and I call you a team, but it’s a family,” Alcaraz said.
In doing so, he achieved something that even Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic could not. Federer’s first three majors came at 2003 Wimbledon, 2004 Australian Open and 2004 Wimbledon.
Nadal won his first four major titles at the French Open between 2005 and 2008. Djokovic, on the other hand, won his first two Grand Slams at the Australian Open and his third at Wimbledon.
