Carlos Alcaraz wins fourth set 6-1 to ensure everything is on the line in fifth and final set of 2024 French Open final
With Zverev one set away from winning his first Grand Slam title, Alcaraz was going to make him work for it. The conditions were a little heavier in the fourth set, the sun less blinding than before, and Alcaraz came out quickly. He broke Zverev in the second game — two box office shots included, one backhand lob winner, and then an outstanding forehand down the line to go 2-0 up.
Alcaraz then held to love, and continued to befuddle Zverev as he stood deep and counter-attacked anything and everything Zverev threw at him. And with the most delightful dropshot, Alcaraz raced into a 4-0 lead.
Zverev broke back, but Alcaraz needed treatment at the next changeover. He took a medical timeout, with his left leg getting the attention. But he showed few signs of it harming his game, as he broke back Zverev immediately, to lead 5-1.
Alcaraz made hard work of it in the final game, but he finally took his chance to take the fourth court 6-1. The physio is back again for Alcaraz.
Alexander Zverev wins third set 7-5 to take 2-1 lead in 2024 French Open final
If golf has its moving day on the Saturday of a Major, that could yet be the third set here. It was a nervy, topsy-turvy affair, with the momentum shifting in the blink of an eye.
Alcaraz snapped a five-game losing streak as he held serve at the start of the third, but Zverev’s first serve was again proving difficult for Alcaraz to get a handle on, with Zverev holding to love in the second game.
Alcaraz’s serve was still a little off, double-faulting at the start of the third game (his fifth of the match so far), but despite that, it was looking like he’d found his rhythm back, holding serve with a couple of shouts of “Vamos!” to herald the moment. But Zverev made short work of the next service game, finding them increasingly straightforward.
The fifth game could have been the turning point in the match for Alcaraz — he managed to construct two beautiful points, hitting a backhand winner down the line, and then catching Zverev out with a drop-shot. The match was resembling chess: both players testing each other out, Zverev yet to make an unforced error in this set, with Alcaraz holding serve.
Alcaraz then forced triple break point on Zverev’s serve, and snaffled it up at the first ask, leaving Zverev yelling at his box. But with the 4-2 lead, Alcaraz’s first serve was getting himself in all sorts of trouble, and he had to save three break points — again using his dropshot brilliantly — to hold serve as Zverev built momentum.
At 5-3 up, Alcaraz had the chance to serve out the set, but Zverev somehow broke back. Zverev converted break point with advantage, as Alcaraz was caught near the net, and slipped as he tried to return a forehand, leaving things evenly-poised once again.
Alcaraz’s forehand was increasingly erratic, the ball bouncing awkwardly on the baseline, as he framed two shots in the 11th game, giving Zverev two break points. He duly took the first on offer to now give him the chance to serve out. Alcaraz was clearly frustrated at the changeover, saying there’s not enough clay on the court, calling it “unbelievable.”
It was Zverev’s turn to serve out the set, and he gave himself set point at 40-30. But after a tense rally, it was Alcaraz who managed to force the error. Alcaraz then forced break point with a brilliant forehand down the line, but Zverev saved that and a brilliant overhead gave him set point number two, which he duly took with the match at 2 hours 40 minutes.
Zverev fights back to win second set 6-2 and level game at one set each
Some more celeb spotting to kick off the start of the second set – stars of the silver screen Clive Owen and Sophie Marceau are both here, as are France rugby duo Antoine Dupont and Anthony Jelonch. There’s also Henri, the Grand Duke of Luxembourg in attendance.
Back on the court Zverev was looking increasingly exasperated at the start of the second set, at one point threatening to test out the durability of the clay with his racquet. But having missed three break points at the start of the second set on Alcaraz’s serve, Zverev must have been left wondering exactly what he could do to get a foothold back in the match. All the while Alcaraz was varying his shots selection, disguising beautiful drop-shots, and then unleashing his booming cross-court forehands, or backhand winners down the line. Zverev and Alcaraz both held serve, leaving Zverev shouting at his box for answers.
But then came the potential momentum shift as Zverev broke Alcaraz’s serve to go 3-2 up in the second set. The wind was picking up, swirling around Philippe-Chatrier and having forced two break points, Zverev took the second, with an uncharacteristic, wild forehand from Alcaraz handing him the game. Zverev then held on his own serve – including a penultimate point including some wonderfully intricate play at the net – to hold a 4-2 lead.
Zverev’s forehand was becomingly increasingly lethal, booming one down the line and then another cross-court winner to force yet another break point in the seventh game. Alcaraz managed to cancel out that threat, but Zverev was back on his case, drawing another break point and an uncharacteristic double fault gave Zverev a double break.
And Zverev served out set with ease, taking the second set 6-2. The French Open is neatly poised at one set apiece.
Carlos Alcaraz takes the first set 6-3
Just like yesterday’s women’s singles final, there was more interpretive dance to tee up proceedings. Must be a nightmare for the ground staff who have just swept the court and produced an immaculate surface, only a group of dancers to scuff things up.
But there was a spectacular flyover, with eight Patroille de France jets painting the sky the colours of the French tricolore. Blue, white and red smoke hung over Court Philippe-Chatrier as the players came out.
With Bjorn Borg and International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach in the front row of the presidents’ box, it was Zverev who served first. But after back-to-back double faults, he changed his racquet – just two points into the entire match. It was not enough to save his serve, with Alcaraz breaking in the first game of the final.
Any early joy proved to be short-lived, with Zverev breaking back in the next game, Alcaraz’s serve also a little off. But after two holds, it was Alcaraz who took control, punishing Zverev’s errors to break serve and take a 3-2 lead. Alcaraz held comfortably in the next game and then drew two more break points. It looked like Zverev was caught between two minds – whether to attack Alcaraz, or to try and draw an error, but it was some scrambling defence which clawed the game back to deuce.
Zverev held, but he was struggling to get near Alcaraz on his serve. Alcaraz’s drop-shots were causing Zverev all sorts of trouble as Alcaraz moved himself to one game from taking the first set. And Alcaraz didn’t waste any time, varying his shots, bamboozling Zverev, to break serve in the next game and take the first set 6-3.
Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev face off in 2024 French Open men’s singles final
PARIS — There will be a new name on the Roland Garros men’s singles trophy on Sunday as Carlos Alcaraz takes on Alexander Zverev in the 2024 French Open final.
Alcaraz has already won the US Open and Wimbledon, so victory on Sunday would complete a trio of Slams on each surface. For Zverev, this is his second Grand Slam final, having lost the US Open final to Dominic Thiem in 2020.
For so long this trophy was in Rafael Nadal’s grip — the Spaniard winning the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy 14 times. Novak Djokovic has won it three times here, with Roger Federer taking it in 2009. But there’s a new generation coming through and for so long, Alcaraz has been the coming man on clay.
He reached the quarterfinal here in 2022 — losing to Zverev — and then the semifinal last year, where he fell to Djokovic. Last year his performance was hampered by severe cramping, but that’s something he’s learned to manage. He came into the French Open with concerns over his right arm, an injury that saw him miss some of the clay court swing. In the opening rounds, by his own admission, he couldn’t go 100% on his forehand, but as the rounds have tumbled, Alcaraz’s durability has improved.
He’s managed to see off the likes of Sebastian Korda, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Stefanos Tsitsipas on his journey to the final four, where he met incumbent world No.1 Jannik Sinner. Both players cramped up in that semifinal, but after five sets, it was Alcaraz who came through.
“You have to find the joy in suffering, that’s the key,” he said after the win over Sinner.
For Zverev, his journey started with the hardest possible task: facing Nadal in the first round. He came through that in straight sets and then saw off David Goffin but needed five sets to dispatch Tallon Griekspoor and Holger Rune. But he was in ruthless form against Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals and then came through a tricky tie with Casper Ruud in the semifinal.
“Some of my worst and best memories are on [Philippe Chatrier] and I’m going to give it my all on Sunday,” Zverev said.
While Zverev has been playing at Roland Garros, a trial was being held in his home country of Germany, where he had been accused of domestic abuse by a former girlfriend. On Friday, it was announced that Zverev had agreed to an out-of-court settlement with the woman.
