Carlos Alcaraz is a three-time Grand Slam champion after defeating Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 to claim his first Roland Garros title.
In the final, the 21-year-old Spaniard displayed resilience and skill, rallying from a two-sets-to-one deficit to outlast Zverev in a four-hour, 19-minute battle. He’s the first player since Rod Laver in 1962 to win a five-set semi-final and repeat the feat in the final en route to victory.
You can see the match stats, highlights and a quick recap below.
French Open 2024 Final Result
| Winner | Loser | Scoreline |
|---|---|---|
| Carlos Alcaraz (3) | Alexander Zverev (4) | 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 |
Match Stats
| Alexander Zverev | Carlos Alcaraz | |
|---|---|---|
| Aces | 8 | 3 |
| Double Faults | 6 | 6 |
| 1st Serve Percentage | 73% | 60% |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 63% (61/97) | 65% (62/96) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 33% (12/36) | 49% (31/63) |
| Break Points Saved | 44% (7/16) | 74% (17/23) |
| 1st Return Points Won | 35% (34/96) | 37% (36/97) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 51% (32/63) | 67% (24/36) |
| Break Points Converted | 26% (6/23) | 56% (9/16) |
| Winners | 38 | 52 |
| Unforced Errors | 41 | 56 |
| Net Points Won | 57% (30/53) | 63% (25/40) |
| Max Points In Row | 7 | 8 |
| Service Points Won | 55% (73/133) | 58% (93/159) |
| Return Points Won | 42% (66/159) | 45% (60/133) |
| Total Points Won | 48% (139/292) | 52% (153/292) |
| Max Games In Row | 5 | 4 |
| Service Games Won | 59% (13/22) | 73% (16/22) |
| Return Games Won | 27% (6/22) | 41% (9/22) |
| Total Games Won | 43% (19/44) | 57% (25/44) |
Highlights
Thoughts on the Final
It was an entertaining final that Alcaraz deservedly won, and his ability to perform under pressure helped him get the job done.
While it wasn’t one of his virtuoso performances, and it was quite error-strewn from both, Carlos stayed physically present throughout and pulled out some great points when it mattered, converting nine of 16 break points, while Zverev managed only six of 23.
Alcaraz started the match strong, breaking Zverev’s serve three times in the opening set. He mixed up his ball trajectory and speed to cause the German many problems. He almost missed the ball or framed it into the clouds on several points. You don’t see that at the pro level, so it was all about Alcaraz’s mix-up tactics rather than some dodgy technique issue.
After seeing that, I thought it could be a straight-setter, but Zverev has shown a lot of fight during the last two weeks, and he responded by winning the second set with improved serving.
The German continued to show plenty of grit in the third set, recovering from 2-5 down and winning five straight games to take it 7-5 and move into a two-set to-one lead.
However, Alcaraz’s intensity didn’t drop, and despite needing some treatment for a cramp/thigh issue, his relentless play in the fourth and fifth sets proved too much, with Zverev’s game dropping down a notch, which allowed the Spaniard to widen the gap between the two.
In the fifth, Alcaraz broke Zverev in game three, came from 0-40 down, and survived four break points to increase his lead to 3-1. One was a second serve, which was called out but overruled in by the umpire. Hawkeye later showed it was indeed out. Although you can’t know it would have made a difference, 3-1 vs 2-2 puts an entirely different complexion on things.
But human error is part of the sport, and from that moment, Zverev’s hopes were pretty much gone, and when the insurance break landed, it was all she wrote.
Looking back, Zverev had spent 19 hours on the court heading into the final, a record. From the fourth set, he appeared to physically hit the wall. The serve was less effective, and I think Alcaraz sensed that if he just put a bit more air on the ball and worked the points, he had that bit extra in the tank and could draw the error.
With the victory, Alcaraz improves his Grand Slam match record to 52-10, and he’s the seventh Spaniard to have won the Coupe des Mousquetaires. He will rise to World No. 2 in the ATP rankings, just behind Jannik Sinner, who displaced Novak Djokovic after the Serbian was forced to withdraw before his quarter-final match.
It has been incredible work. The last month we were struggling a lot with the injury. Looking back to Madrid, I didn’t feel well. The next week there were a lot of doubts and then coming here and practising not too much. I am grateful to have my team and the people I have around. I know that everyone in my team is giving their heart to make me improve as a player and a person. To grow up. So I am grateful and call you a team, but it is a family. Alcaraz on his win over Zverev.
What did you guys make of the final? Let me know in the comments.
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