Carlos Alcaraz Wins Roland Garros After Thrilling Final
Roland Garros
June 9, 2024
Carlos Alcaraz has won Roland Garros after a typically intense gladiatorial showdown with Alexander Zverev.
The Spaniard has now won Slams on all three surfaces at an almost absurdly young age – and there seems no stopping him.
Carlos Alcaraz to defend his crown on grass at Wimbledon 2024? Few would bet against it now.
The signs midway through this memorable French Open final pointed towards a potential upset though.
Zverev came back from 2-5 down to take the third set 7-5. Even more worrying for Alcaraz fans was the fact that he clearly wasn’t enjoying the final at that stage.
He complained about not being properly supplied with his usual little tonics. He complained to the umpire about the state of the court.
‘Unbelievable,’ he moaned after he fell behind. And at that point you thought all might be lost for the younger man.
If Carlos Alcaraz isn’t smiling and enjoying his tennis then he generally isn’t going to win.
And you had to factor in the new grit Zverev seemed to have developed inside. He was serving like a dream. He was calm and combative.
But all this ignored the incredible record Carlitos has when matches go to five sets. That record now stretches to 12-1.
The young man backs his own fitness and has faith in his own fighting spirit. That showed in the 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 outcome.
Zverev on the other hand has inner demons that strike just when he has the upper hand.
Is there something within his psyche that tells him he doesn’t deserve a first Grand Slam success?
It must be heartbreaking to be part of his team and to have witnessed multiple cases of “so near yet so far.”
But you sense that Sascha is getting closer to achieving the mental strength he will need to finally force things to go his way.
He fought for four hours and fifteen minutes to try to make his dream come true. And yet the challenge faded with a growing air of inevitability.
For Alcaraz the final two sets were not as difficult as they might have been.
But the quality of the contest was far greater than the scoreline in those fourth and fifth sets suggests.
And now we just can’t wait for Wimbledon 2024. There are so many contenders. So many spectacular days and nights on Centre Court to look forward to.
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