ATP
Alcaraz outlasts Zverev to win third Grand Slam title
Carlos Alcaraz extended Spanish superiority at Roland Garros as he won the Paris title for the first time on Sunday with a 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Alexander Zverev in the final.
The final was up and down throughout its four-hour, 20-minute length, with the 21-year-old winner now the youngest to win Grand Slam an all three surface – clay (Paris), grass (Wimbledon) and hardcourt (US Open.
Zverev was disappointed at the end as Alcaraz sent a sizzling winner out of reach on his first match point.
The Spaniard ended with 52 winners and 56 unforced errors. Zverev was only able to convert on six of his 23 break chances; Alcaraz profited on nine of his 16.
He now owns two of the four current titles at the major but will be starting his Wimbledon title defence in a fortnight in London.
Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) celebrates after he wins Men’s singles final in five sets
Photo Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
“My team has done incredible work over the last month,” Alcaraz said of his struggle with a forearm injury.
“It did not feel so good before coming here. I did not train so much.
“But everyone on my team was giving their heart to help me improve as a player and a person. I call them a team but they are a family.
“And my (real) family is here supporting me, I remember as a little kid coming home from school to turn on the TV and watch this tournament.
“I’m now living it with this trophy in front of me.”
Alcaraz won the first final between first-time Paris finalist since 2005 when Nadal played Mariano Puerta.
Alcaraz and Nadal are the only players to lift the Roland Garros title before turning 22 years of age since 2000 (Nadal did it in 2005, 2006 and 2007).
Zverev played and lost his second career Grand Slam final after the 2020 US Open, which he lost to Dominic Thiem from two sets up.
His loss to Alcaraz ended a 12-match win streak on clay for last month’s Rome champion; no German has ever won Paris in the Open era.
Zverev began with a pair of double faults in the first game, dropping serve three times in a chaotic 46-minute opening set.
Alcaraz gave up a 40-0 lead to start the second set and was forced to save a trio of break points before holding for 1-0 in an 11-minute game.
Zverev squared the match as he claimed the second set with two breaks of serve, but was unable to capitalise as Alcaraz took a 4-2 lead in the third but lost his last two seres to drop to 1-2 on sets.
The Spaniard, who was presented the trophy by Bjorn Borg, started his comeback by winning the fourth set and polished off victory in the fifth, following in the footsteps of countryman Rafael Nadal, 14-times champion here..
“Carlos is amazing,” Zverev said. “Third Grand Slam title, 21 years old… you have an amazing career already, an incredible achievement.
“I wish I could say I’m happy for you – but not today.
“I’ve had along journey since (2022 semi-final ankle injury) on this court.
“We had a close match today, but not enough for me,” said the four-time paris semi-finalist.
Holger Rune battled past injured Carlos Alcaraz to spoil the Spanish Easter party at the Barcelona Open, with the Dane lifting the trophy 7-6 (6), 6-2.
The pair of 21-year-olds were familiar foes, having played 20 times in juniors before hitting the Tour; Rune won the first 500 series title of his career and his fifth overall.
Alcaraz was treated three times in the second set after an apparent injury to his upper right thigh/groin after duelling hard in the opening set at the Real Club.
The loss will send Alcaraz back to third in the rankings, with Alexander Zverev moving back to second behind Jannik Sinner as a result of winning the Munich title on Sunday.
Rune, a first-round victim last week in Monte Carlo, reversed his clay momentum in Spain, handing Alcaraz a first loss of a set for the week.
The Spanish top seed’s two final shots both clipped the top of the net and fell back as Rune raised his hands in celebration after 97 minutes on court in the Catalan capital.
“This means the world,” the winner said. “I started the match stressed, he was playing big-time tennis.
“I was able to find my rhythm after he broke me (3-2 in the opening set) and I got more into the match.
“The first set was a big battle with a lot of important points. It was super-important to win the set and gain momentum.
“I’m so proud of myself.”
Rune ended with 18 winners while the ailing Alcaraz produced 33 unforced errors. The Dane claimed his 50th match win on clay and levelled his Tour record in the series to 2-2.
Rune said he channeled Novak Djokovic’s Paris Olympic gold medal win from last summer over Alcaraz as he struggled to turn his game around in Barcelona.
“I asked myself what Novak did to win that final. I (realised) that I didn’t need to hit every ball on the line. I need to make him play and hit a lot of balls.”
Rune, who won the elite Paris Bercy Masters 1000 title in 2022, finally began reversing a 13-match loss streak against top five opponents.with his title victory.
Alcaraz may be racing for fitness with the Madrid Masters starting on Wednesday as the ATP ploughs ahead with an unpopular two-week format for Masters tournaments despite growing protest from exhausted players.
Main photo:- Holger Rune celebrates Barcelona win – by ATPTour.com
Alexander Zverev turned 28 on Sunday and awarded himself a third title on his home Munich clay as he beat Ben Shelton 6-2,6-4 to win the ATP event.
The 2017 and 2018 champion here is now threatening Carlos Alcaraz as the pair duel for the world No. 2 position which the Spaniard took over last week after winning Monte Carlo.
Zverev schooled lefthander Shelton in 70 minutes for a second win in their series. The winner becomes the second to hold three Munich titles after countryman Philipp Kohlschreiber (2007, 2012, 2016).
“I’m enjoying my birthday so far,” Zverev said. “It’s extremely special to win in Germany, the most special thing I can do.
January’s Australian Open finalist added: “It’s definitely a great birthday present, I knew I had to play my best today, conditions were very hot and very fast.They were perfect for me.”
The winner broke three times while never facing a challenge to his serve from Shelton as he claimed a sixth career title at the 500-Tour level.
Main photo:- Alexander Zverev with his “birthday” trophy – by BMW Open/Bitpanda
Alexander Zverev gave fans in Munich what they were after as the top seed rolled into the final of the clay ATP in Bavaria with a 7-6 (3), 6-3 defeat of Fabian Marozsan.
World No. 3 Zverev, who won the titles in 2017 and 2018 needed 91 minutes to advance into a title match with Ben Shelton.
The American earned his spot with a .2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4 defeat of Argentine Francisco Cerundolo.
Zverev advanced with nine aces and broke twice in the tidy win over his Hungarian opposition.
“It’s awesome. The entire week has been great. Everybody is really enjoying the weather as well as the new Center Court,” the winner said. .
“I’m enjoying myself and hopefully I will have another great day tomorrow.”
Shelton reached his fourth career final, becoming the first American man to reach a clay final above ATP 250 level since Andre Agassi won the Rome Masters 23 years ago.
“It’s a big win for me. To get a win on clay against a guy like him gives me a lot of confidence,” Shelton.
“I’m really happy and excited to be in a 500-level final in Europe, my second clay-court tournament this season.
“I’ve been playing well this week and I’m not too stressed right now.”
Main photo:-Alexander Zverev winning in front of his home crowd – by ATPTour.com
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