Carlos Alcaraz said his maiden French Open triumph on Sunday was the proudest moment of his career, after the Spaniard became the youngest man to win grand slams on all three of the sport’s surfaces following his Wimbledon and US Open titles.
The 21-year-old beat German Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 at Roland Garros to join an elite club that includes Mats Wilander, Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Alcaraz said he would mark his latest triumph by getting a tattoo of the Eiffel Tower with Sunday’s date, having gotten inked after his previous major successes.
“I have to find the time. But I’ll do it for sure. It’s going to be on the left ankle,” Alcaraz said. “Wimbledon was the right one. Here it’s going to be the left one, I think with the Eiffel Tower, with the date.”
But having arrived in Paris with barely any matches under his belt due to a right forearm injury, Alcaraz said his latest achievement was all the more special.
“Obviously winning the US Open (in 2022) when I reached the No.1 position for the first time, something that I dreamt about since I started playing tennis, then getting my first grand slam. So it was pretty special,” Alcaraz said.
“The way I won Wimbledon (in 2023), beating Djokovic in five sets has been a great achievement for me. Right now, lifting the Roland Garros trophy, knowing everything I’ve been through the last month with the injuries and all, I don’t know.
“Probably this is the moment I’m really proud about, because of everything I’ve done in the last month just to be ready for this tournament with my team... It has been really difficult for me, honestly.”
Alcaraz had withdrawn from Monte Carlo and the Barcelona Open due to the injury and although he attempted to retain his title in Madrid, going out in the quarter-finals, he also skipped the Italian Open.
“I consider myself a player who doesn’t need too many matches just to get to 100 per cent. I had a really good week here in Paris, practising with good players,” Alcaraz said.
“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.”
Zverev’s plight
Sunday’s runner-up Zverev rued the absence of electronic line calling at the French Open following his final loss. The German was on the wrong end of a controversialdecision that ultimately proved costly.
There was a crucial moment in the decisive set with Alcaraz serving at 2-1 and 15-40. The Spaniard’s second serve was called out, but the chair umpire checked the mark and called it in.
Zverev protested in vain and later said he had been proved right by the Hawk-Eye system, which is available to the media at the French Open but not to officials on court.
“I heard at 2-1 the second serve was out. From the Hawk-Eye data, I saw that... I had break chances and then in the next service game, the fifth set could go the other way,” a dejected Zverev told reporters.
“But it is what it is. He played fantastic, betterthan me in the fourth and fifth sets.”
Among the grand slams, the US Open and Australian Open (both hardcourts) have had electronic line calling in recent years. Wimbledon (grasscourt) has stuck with human line judges but the players can challenge calls.
The French Open is not in favour of replacing line judges as traces left by the ball on the clay help referees check decisions.
Zverev had only once before reached a grand slam final, at the US Open in 2020 when he was two points away from victory against Dominic Thiem.
“I felt like this grand slam final I did everything I could. At the US Open I gave it away myself,” Zverev added. “There’s a difference whether you’re down 1-3 in the fifth set or you’re back to two-all. That’s a deciding difference.
“It’s frustrating in the end, but it is what it is. Umpires make mistakes. They’re also human and that’s okay.”
Zverev, however, admitted he was beaten by the better player. “We’re both physically strong, but he’s a beast. He’s an animal, for sure,” Zverev said. “He’s a fantastic player, and physically he’s fantastic.”
