Alcaraz on Roland Garros triumph: ‘It was something I dreamed of since I started playing’

There is a viral interview of 12-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, which is gathering eyeballs on social media. The young boy says, “He wants to win Roland Garros one day.” That day has arrived, nine years later in Alcaraz’s life as he is now a French Open champion.

The childhood dream became a reality when he defeated Alexander Zverev in thrilling five set contest by 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in four hours and 19 minutes at the Court Philippe Chatrier in Paris on Sunday . 

Alcaraz was at his best as he broke Zverev’s serve in the opening game of the match but he could not hold his own. However, the Spaniard was once again able to break the German’s serve before taking the opening set. Zverev bounced back strongly in the next set but Alcaaraz was leading comfortably by 5-2 in the third.

But the Spaniard could not close out the set as Zverev won five games on the trot to take a 2-1 lead. However, the 21-year-old lifted his game in the last two sets to win his third Major title. 

“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 being able to put my name on that amazing list is something unbelievable,” Alcaraz said. “[It is] something that I dreamed about being in this position since I started playing tennis, since I was five, six years old. So it’s a great, great feeling.”

With his Roland Garros title, he has become the youngest man to earn a major trophy on all three surfaces. Alcaraz revealed how he adapted to all three surfaces despite being so young.

“I grew up playing on clay court, but most tournaments of the Tour it is on hard court. So I had to practise more on hard court, doing the preseason on hard court. So I started to feel more comfortable moving, hitting my shots playing on hard court, but I think my game suits very well on every surface because I practice it,” Alcaraz said.

“With drop shots, my volley, I wanted to develop my style of being aggressive all the time. Practising the defence and all that stuff, but my main goal is being aggressive as much as I can. So I think on grass it is pretty well or I have to do it on grass almost every time, but in all surfaces, I think it’s a pretty good thing.”

Alcaraz, who has an 11-1 record in the fifth set, said he knew he had to bring his A-game in the final set.

“I know that when I’m playing a fifth set you have to give everything and you have to give your heart,” Alcaraz said. “I mean, in those moments, it’s where the top players give their best tennis. So as I said many times, I wanted to be one of the best tennis players in the world, so I have to give extra in those moments in the fifth set, I have to show the opponent that I am fresh. Like we are playing the first game of the match.”