Carlos Alcaraz outlasts Zverev to claim maiden French Open title; becomes youngest man to win a Slam on all surfaces

Third seed Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday became the youngest ever ATP player to clinch a Grand Slam title on each of the three surfaces as he beat Alexander Zverev in the 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in the 2024 French Open men's singles final at the Stade Roland Garros. With his four-hour, 19-minute victory, the 21-year-old won his maiden major in Paris and third overall, adding to his 2022 US Open and 2023 Wimbledon title haul.

Overall, the 21-year-old is the seventh man to capture Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces. Alcaraz's Grand Slam record stands at an impressive 52-10, a testament to his consistency and skill. He now joins the esteemed ranks of the seven Spaniards who have lifted the Coupe des Mousquetaires, a list that includes his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, the 2003 Paris major champion.

It was yet another display of calmness and composure under pressure from Alcaraz. After coming back from two-sets-to-one down against Jannik Sinner in the semifinal on Friday, the Spaniard, who arrived in Roland Garros having not competed for three weeks due to a right arm injury, produced the same against Zverev.

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Alcaraz comfortably clinched the opening set after a cagey start where both the players dropped their opening service games. The German began his second major final by serving back-to-back double faults, prompting him to change his racquet immediately. However, he was broken thrice in the set, and also had to negate two break points to hold in another of his service games at 2-4.

Despite conceding the opening set, the fourth seed bounced back strongly with an improved serving performance. He landed 83 per cent (20/24) of his first serves in the second set, winning 80 per cent (16/20) of those. Although he missed three break points in the second set's opening game, he left no stone unturned in the fifth and seventh games to level the match. The Spaniard did gain quick control to surge to a 5-2 lead in the third set, but Zverev once again found a hot streak to win five straight games, which left him a set away from a maiden Grand Slam title.

After an impressive show of resilience from the 26-year-old, it was Alcaraz's chance to level the score in the final as he scripted a dominant fourth-set, where he broke his opponent’s serve three times. Although he did get treatment on his left leg from the physio at 4-1, it caused no hindrance to his smooth movement on the court as he held firm behind serve to take the championship match the distance.

The most significant moment in the match came when Alcaraz was serving at 2-1, 15/40. His second serve was called out, but the chair umpire checked the mark and called it in. From nearly double-faulting and relinquishing his serve, Alcaraz went on to hold serve and consolidate his early fifth-set service break.