Carlos Alcaraz described winning his first French Open title as the proudest moment of his career so far after he struggled badly with a forearm injury in the buildup to this year’s tournament.
“Probably this one is the moment that I’m really proud about myself, because everything that I have done the last month just to be ready for this tournament with my team, a lot of talks with them,” he said. “If I have to practice, if I can’t practice or discuss with them, has been really difficult for me, honestly.”
Alcaraz, the third seed, overcame cramps and a two-sets-to-one deficit as he defeated Alexander Zverev, the fourth seed, 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in four hours, 19 minutes to win his third grand slam title at Roland Garros.
At 21, Alcaraz is the youngest man in history to win a major on all three surfaces, with the Spaniard winning the US Open on hard courts in 2022 and on Wimbledon’s grass in 2023. He has pulled off this achievement in 13 grand slam tournaments, which is the men’s record by a considerable distance.
Rafael Nadal and Jimmy Connors previously held the record, having won on all three surfaces after playing 20 majors.
“I consider myself a player who doesn’t need too many matches on my back just to get at 100%,” said Alcaraz.
“I had a really good week here in Paris, practising with good players. I felt really well playing sets, moving, hitting my shots before the tournament began. Obviously every match that I have played, I was getting better and better.”
Alcaraz commemorated his US Open win against Casper Ruud by tattooing his arm with the date of his triumph and after Wimbledon he tattooed a strawberry on his ankle. He says he will celebrate this win by tattooing the Eiffel Tower and Sunday’s date on his leg.
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“I have to find the time,” he said. “But I will do it for sure. It’s going to be in the left ankle. Wimbledon was the right one. Here is going to be the left one, I think so with the Eiffel Tower with the date of today.
“And, yeah, it’s something that I’m gonna do. I don’t know if next weeks or gonna take a month or two months, but I will do it.”
Source: theguardian.com
