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

Carlos Alcaraz made more history on Sunday at Roland Garros, where aged 21 he became the second-youngest champion at the clay-court major since 2000. Alcaraz defeated Alexander Zverev in five sets in the final and is the seventh Spanish man to triumph at the event.

Alcaraz revealed he achieved a childhood dream by winning in the French capital.

“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.”

Alcaraz won his maiden major at the US Open on hard court in 2022, before he triumphed on grass at Wimbledon last year. By winning Roland Garros on clay, he has become the youngest man to earn a major trophy on all three surfaces.

The No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Live Rankings was asked about how he has acclimatised to all three surfaces so quickly in his career.

“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.”

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Three-time major champ Alcaraz dropped just one set en route to the semi-finals in Paris before he clawed past Jannik Sinner and Zverev in five sets to win his 14th tour-level title and eighth on clay. The Spaniard holds an 11-1 record in fifth sets, often producing his best under pressure.

“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.”

Alcaraz arrived in the French capital having missed the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome due to a right forearm injury. Despite playing with strapping in Paris, the 21-year-old looked largely comfortable throughout his seven matches.

Alcaraz is pleased the work he put in with his team, including coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, paid off.

“I said before the tournament, I consider myself a player who doesn’t need too many matches on my back just to get at 100 per cent. 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,” Alcaraz said. “Obviously every match that I have played, I was getting better and better.

“All the work that I put every day before coming here and every day here has been really good work with my team that helped me to get 100 per cent physically, mentally, and hitting good shots and putting a good level on the court. So I think that’s why I performed at my best at the end of the tournament.”

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