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Carlos Alcaraz has become just the seventh man in the open era (the open era began in 1968) to win majors in three different surfaces - he won the US Open on hardcourt in 2022, Wimbledon on grass in 2023 and now the French Open on clay. However, the difference for Alcaraz from the other six who are Rafa Nadal, Mats Wilander, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Jimmy Connors and Andre Agassi, is that he is the youngest to achieve something as significant as that.
Alcaraz turned 21 only a month before Roland Garros. Along with his compatriot Rafa Nadal, they are the only two men players since the year 2000 to have won the French Open before the age of 22. Alcaraz was only a month old when his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero won the French Open.
His is the first name other than Nadal or Djokovic to go on the Coupe des Mousquetaires, which was presented by Bjorn Borg on the 50th anniversary of his first title at Roland Garros, since 2015.
"(To compare winning the majors), I mean, it's different tournaments, different aura, but I'm going to say same feeling," Alcaraz said. "I mean, winning a Grand Slam is always special. Winning your first in every Grand Slam is always super special.
"But in Roland Garros, knowing all the Spanish players who have won this tournament and be able to put my name on that amazing list is something unbelievable. Something that I dream about being in this position since I was started playing tennis, since I was five, six years old. So, it's a great, great feeling."
In four hours 19 minutes Alcaraz defeated Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2. It was the first men's final that went the distance since 2021 when Novak Djokovic came back from two sets to love down to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas, and it is only the third men's final at Roland Garros to go five sets in the last 25 years. That's longer than Alcaraz has been alive.
And now he has to find the time to commemorate his victory with a discrete tattoo, just as he did after his victories at the other two majors.
That's a difficult question to say what I am most proud of," he said "I mean, obviously winning the US Open, when I reached for the first time the No. 1, something that I dream since I started playing tennis, getting my first Grand Slam. So, it was pretty special.
"But honestly, the way that I won Wimbledon, beating Novak Djokovic in five sets, has been a great achievement for me. Right now lifting the Roland Garros trophy, knowing everything that I have been through the last month with the injuries and all that stuff, I don't know.
"Probably this one. Probably this one is the moment that I'm really proud about myself, because everything that I have done the last month just to be ready for this tournament with my team, a lot of talks with them. You know, if I have to practice, if I can't practice or discuss with them, has been really difficult for me, honestly.
"So, I'm going to say this one is the most that I am proud about myself."
This was the second major final Zverev was involved in. The previous time was the 2020 US Open against Dominic Thiem who won in five sets. Zverev said he felt he did all that was possible against Alcaraz. Some luck did not go his way at times because he really had a racquet bag full of opportunities. He said he lost focus in the fourth set and could not explain what that happened because he normally does not tire in a match not does he get cramps. Sascha acknowledged that Carlitos lifted his level as well and that "he played fantastic. He played better than me the fourth and fifth set. It's how it is."
"We're both physically strong, but he's a beast. He's an animal, for sure. The intensity he plays tennis at is different to other people. You know, he can do so many different things, right?" Zverev said.
"I think he changed his tactic a lot in the fifth set, started to play a lot higher, a lot deeper for me to not create as much power. Especially with the shadows on the court, it was slower again. But he's a fantastic player, and physically he's fantastic.
"So, you know, I have to look at myself and I have to look at the team that I have and see, you know, what I can do to become at the same level."
The doubles title was won by Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic, they defeated Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori 7-6, 6-3
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