Alexandre Zverev is set to clash with Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s final at Roland Garros on Sunday afternoon, following his four-set victory over Casper Ruud on Friday evening.
Despite a challenging start with a 2-6 loss in the first set, Zverev managed to turn the game around and eventually defeat Ruud, a two-time runner-up, with a score of 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. 6-2.
Zverev’s recent win puts him on course to clinch his first Grand Slam final, having lost in the semi-finals at Roland Garros in each of the last three years.
The German’s only previous Grand Slam final was at the 2020 US Open, where he lost to Dominic Thiem despite leading by two sets.
Zverev reflected on that match following his victory on Friday. The fourth-seeded Zverev said, “I was not ready then to win my first Grand Slam final.”
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On Sunday, Zverev will be up against the World No. 3, Carloz Alcaraz, who is equally determined to make history as the youngest player to win Grand Slam titles on grass, clay and hard courts.
Alcaraz demonstrated resilience in his Friday afternoon victory over World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in a five-set thriller that lasted over four hours. Despite dropping a set twice, Alcaraz rallied in the fourth and fifth sets to force the win and mark his first Roland Garros final appearance.
Although Alcaraz has largely drawn comparisons and similarities with clay court legend and compatriot, Rafa Nadal, he has yet to make the Roland Garros court his own and stands a good chance of achieving this feat on Sunday.
Matches between Zverev and Alcaraz are always tightly contested, mirroring the matches between Sinner and Alcaraz. The German holds a slight edge with a 5-4 head-to-head lead over the Spaniard.
Both Alcaraz ( 20-2) and Zverev (10-3) have had an impressive run on clay in the 2024 season. Fans can expect a spectacular showdown on Sunday.
