At 21, Carlos Alcaraz has already accomplished milestones with three Grand Slams, becoming the youngest male player to reach World No. 1 at 19.
The Spaniard said his maiden French Open win on Sunday was the proudest moment of his glittering career, after he became the youngest man to win Grand Slams on all three courts, following his Wimbledon and US Open titles.
The 6-3 2-6 5-7 6-1 6-2 win against German Alexander Zverev may not have been a classic, but Alcaraz showed that he belonged among the elite as he added a third feather to his hat.
Alcaraz became the seventh man to win a major on hard, grass and clay courts, a feat that eluded some of the greatest in the sports, including American Pete Sampras, who clinched 14 major titles, but never won at Roland Garros.
At 21, Alcaraz played in three Grand Slam finals and won all of them, while Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, compared to him, mastered the sport’s slowest surface in their late 20s.
“Since I was a little kid, I was running from school to put on the TV to watch this tournament,” said Alcaraz.
Zverev described Alcaraz as a “Hall of Famer” in his speech.
Sunday’s defeat prolonged Zverev’s frustration at the Grand Slams, with the German still hunting for a first title, despite reaching the last four eight times.
“I’ll be back next year,” Zverev promised.
In the first men’s Roland Garros final not featuring anyone from the Big Three — Rafael Nadal, Djokovic and Federer — in two decades, Alcaraz and Zverev failed to impress the crowd with their lack of consistency making for a disappointing display.
