“I think now is the right time,” Alexander Zverev confident of getting past Carlos Alcaraz in Roland Garros Final

Alexander Zverev has beaten Carlos Alcaraz at Roland Garros before.

“I think now is the right time,” Alexander Zverev confident of getting past Carlos Alcaraz in Roland Garros Final

Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz (via IMAGO)

Fourth seed Alexander Zverev advanced to his first Roland Garros final on Sunday. The German came back from a set down to defeat Casper Ruud in four sets, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.

This will be Zverev’s second Grand Slam final of his career. He lost the first and only slam final of his career against Dominic Thiem in the 2020 US Open final, where he historically led by two sets and a break.

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The truth was that I was too young to win at the US Open in 2020. Since then, I have gotten older and I think now is the right time.
Alexander Zverev said in his post-match interview

Zverev will meet Carlos Alcaraz in the final on Sunday. The German will be the underdog going into this match but has a 7-4 head-to-head advantage over the Spaniard. Among these victories is his 2022 Roland Garros quarter-final win over Alcaraz, where he advanced to his second semi-final with a four-set victory.

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If Zverev manages to defeat the Wimbledon champion and win his first Grand Slam, he’ll automatically emerge as the favorite for the Paris Olympics in late July. He secured Olympic Gold in 2021 by defeating Karen Khachanov in the final.

Alexander Zverev secures a remarkable fightback against Casper Ruud

The Norwegian seventh seed Casper Ruud, having received a walkover in the quarter-finals due to Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal, had enjoyed a rest since Monday. Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev had endured lengthy matches, spending over eight hours on the court in two five-setters before defeating Alex de Minaur.

Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev after reaching Roland Garros final (via Imago)

Despite Ruud initially appearing fresher and taking an early lead, the German improved in the second set, breaking twice to level the match. He continued his momentum, breaking the two-time-finalist in the third set to gain control. Ruud sought medical attention after the set but struggled to regain his footing.

Zverev capitalized on his advantage, breaking the three-time Grand Slam finalist again in the fourth set and serving confidently to secure a 5-2 lead. With no signs of nerves, the German closed out the match with an ace to advance to the final.

With this win, Zverev now leads his head-to-head score against Ruud 3-2. He has also avenged his 2023 semi-final defeat against the Norwegian. Now, he looks forward to a date with destiny on Sunday.

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