Carlos Alcaraz Claims His First French Open Title

On Sunday in Paris, a four-hour-and-19-minute men’s final yielded a first-time French Open champion: world number three Carlos Alcaraz bested Alexander Zverev of Germany in five stirring sets, 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.

Going into today’s match, the stakes were high for both players: while Alcaraz told reporters that he wanted to add his name “to the list of Spanish players who won at Roland-Garros”—a nod to his lifelong hero Rafael Nadal, the king of clay, whom Zverev knocked out in the opening round of this tournament—fourth-seed Zverev, 27, was seeking his first Grand Slam title after only one prior appearance in a major final. (At the 2020 US Open, Dominic Thiem beat him in five grueling sets.) He was also, incredibly, only the second German player to reach the men’s singles final at the French in the Open Era (after Michael Stich in 1996).

Yet this was Alcaraz’s day: after stealing a hair-raising semifinal match from Jannik Sinner on Friday, the 21-year-old Spaniard followed up his wins at the US Open in 2022 and Wimbledon in 2023 with his first title at Roland-Garros. (The win has also made him the youngest man to win a major title on three different surfaces.)

The (very loud) fans packing the Court Philippe-Chatrier on Sunday wanted a show—and that’s exactly what they got from both Alcaraz and Zverev, with no shortage of drama. After a wobbly start to the first set (both men double-faulted in their first service games almost immediately), Alcaraz battled his way to a cool 6-3 win. Yet Zverev, who’d lost a few opening sets over the last 15 days—including in his semifinal match against Casper Ruud—would not be deterred. He came back swinging in the second set, threatening Alcaraz with three break points in the 11-minute-long opening game. Though Alcaraz held, Zverev would get his break later on, taking a 3-2 lead that would pave his way to a 6-2 win.

Zverev, hitting a return during Sunday’s final.

Photo: Getty Images

With his towering, 6’6” frame and fearsome serve, Zverev gave an even better performance in the third set, bounding back from a 2-5 deficit to trounce Alcaraz 7-5. Yet the exceptionally speedy Alcaraz should never be counted out. After taking a 4-0 lead, complaining about a bald spot on the court, having one of his service games broken, and then calling for a medical timeout, Alcaraz closed out the set 6-1. The fifth would be fairly smooth sailing for the Spaniard, who—amidst Zverev’s squabbling with the linesmen, several break attempts, at least one crazy rally that concluded in a standing ovation, and, again, a lot of noise from the crowd—kept a fairly cool head to end the match 6-2. Upon winning the championship point, he dropped to the ground and sprawled in the clay.

(Within minutes, Nadal extended his congratulations on X, writing. “Congratulations @carlosalcaraz for this immense victory!!!! Huge!!!! Very happy for your successes !!!”)

Alcaraz, celebrating after championship point.

Taking the microphone during the trophy presentation, Alcaraz was generous in his praise of Zverev. “Unbelievable, the level you are playing and the work you are putting in every day,” he said, acknowledging the German’s comeback after a devastating ankle injury at the French in 2022. He then went on to thank his team—“I call this a team, but it’s a family”—and recall following the tennis at Roland-Garros from home as a young fan. Consider his victory today a full-circle moment. “I used to watch this tournament on the TV, and now I’m holding the trophy,” he said. “So thank you very much.”