By Joiner Martínez
07 Jun 2024, 16:41 PM EDT
The Spanish Carlos Alcaraz, third racket in the world, will play his first final at Roland Garros after signing an epic comeback against the Italian Jannik Sinner, virtual number 1, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 and 6- 3 in 4 hours and nine minutes.
At 21 years old, the Spaniard becomes the youngest player in history to reach Grand Slam finals on all surfaces, and will seek to add his third Grand Slam against the German Alexander Zverev.
Alcaraz, who lost in a dramatic semifinal last year against Serbian Novak Djokovic, becomes the second-youngest finalist on the clay court in Paris, behind his compatriot Rafa Nadal.
With his fifth victory in nine duels against Sinner, the second this year after the Indian Wells semifinal, Alcaraz stopped the progression of the Italian, who this Monday will be the first to crown the tennis ranking and who had twelve consecutive wins in Grand Slam after having lifted the first of the year in Australia.
Alcaraz: “It is a dream to win Roland Garros”
“When I was little I finished school and ran home to watch the Roland Garros matches. I saw Rafa Nadal here and others who won it and I wanted to add my name to the list of Spaniards who have won this tournament,” said Alcaraz after defeating Sinner and qualifying for the final in Paris for the first time.
He recalled that when he was eleven or twelve years old he came to Roland Garros to play in a children’s tournament and it was “a great experience at the international level,” while acknowledging that it has always “been a very important tournament” for him.
“I want to leave my mark, my name on the list of winners,” he added.
“I see myself in the photo as a winner, but we are still one step away, one of the most complicated. The finals are not to be played, they are to be won. I have the image of lifting the trophy, but there is a long way to go,” he said.
Although he recognized that against Sinner “the level of demand has to be maximum”, which may explain the high number of errors he made during the match, he assured that he did not experience it as an early end, but he was “proud” to have overcame that complex situation.
“I am happy to have overcome this complex situation based on other similar ones that I experienced in the past and to see that I have learned from them how to deal with those moments. “I have been mentally strong, I have not left at any point in the match, it is a pride for me not to have tripped over the same stone,” said the player, who last year lost in the semifinals against the Serbian Novak Djokovic paralyzed by cramps.
Keep reading:
Carlos Alcaraz believes that not winning Roland Garros 2024 would be “bittersweet”
Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the round of 16 of the Madrid Masters 1,000 with uncertainty due to discomfort
Jannik Sinner wins his first Miami Open to snatch second place in the ATP ranking from Carlos Alcaraz