Carlos Alcaraz outlasts Alex Zverev in five-set thriller to win French Open

• Spaniard wins 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in 4hr 19min
• Alcaraz the youngest man to win majors on all surfaces

Much of the clay-court season this year has been a miserable ­experience for Carlos Alcaraz. He missed three of his four planned tournaments with a forearm injury and was ­hampered in the one event he did play. His fitness struggles raised ­further ­questions about whether his body can withstand the pressure his all‑action playing style imposes on it and he arrived at Roland ­Garros without much match practice or rhythm.

It takes a special talent to enter a major tournament with such disjointed preparation yet still be able to overcome every obstacle and find a way through to the other side. During five messy but increasingly dramatic sets the Spaniard kept his head, and he recovered from an inexplicable third-set collapse to defeat Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 to win his first French Open title.

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/1Ywf9ki