French Open, Final, Sunday, 09.06.2024
He’s actually done it! Alexander Zverev is in the final of the French Open 2024 and finally wants to make his big dream of a major triumph come true. Of course, he knew beforehand that his opponent in the final would not be easy.
On Sunday, he will face a rival against whom he trails 4:5 in the direct comparison – even though he is only 21 years old! The number 3 in the world meets the number 4 – there could hardly be a better final.
In my Zverev Alcaraz tip, I’ll now try to look at everything important about this match and also reveal why I’m almost certain we’ll see more than three sets here!
In September 2020, despite leading 2:0, he was not granted it, but now everything is set to be different at the French Open final. Alexander Zverev traveled to Paris with a big plan, wanting to finally reach a Grand Slam final again.
And it was already clear from his 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 win over Rafael Nadal in the first round that someone really meant business. Of course, Alexander Zverev would not be Alexander Zverev if he had played his way through all the rounds without any problems.
Everything went smoothly against David Goffin at 7-6, 6-2, 6-2, but then the thrillers began. Tallon Griekspoor, for example, proved to be a very tough nut to crack, with the Olympic champion having to give his all at 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6.
Holger Rune was not so easy to beat either, his 4-6, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6, 6-2 win again took a lot of strength. And the Zverev fans trembled once again, as the 6-4, 7-6, 7-4 against Alex de Minaur was also closer than expected
And then it was time for the semi-final, the last step before the big final. In Casper Ruud, he was facing the very man he had lost to exactly one year ago – also in the round of the best four.
After the first set went to the Norwegian 6-2, the spectators in black and red and gold were already worried. But Zverev showed: I’m a different player than I was in 2023.
6-2, 6-4, 6-2, he prevailed with unbelievable ease in the end and thus punched his ticket to the second major final of his career. Finally, the serve came crashing over the net as we know it! 19 aces, 86% points won on the first service, that’s exactly how he wants to serve.
These were the best figures in this category in the tournament, so the improvement comes at just the right time. Did the 27-year-old celebrate his victory to the full? Not at all, because he knows full well that the most important step is yet to come
“I know that I still have a match ahead of me. That’s the main thing. I know the tournament isn’t over. I’m looking forward to exactly five minutes and then I want to prepare for the final,” said the Hamburg-born player.
Zverev knows that anything can happen against Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard has a 5:4 lead in the direct comparison, but when it comes to the duels at Grand Slam tournaments, the German is 2:1 ahead.
Two years ago, Zverev won in the quarter-finals of Roland Garros, and a few months ago he also won the Australian Open. However, the most recent match in Indian Wells was clearly won by Alcaraz 6-3, 6-1.
History therefore gives you no indication of who will come out on top on Sunday. Our bookmakers, on the other hand, already have a certain tendency in the French Open final odds, where Alcaraz is favored with average values of 1.35 to 3.20.
Alcaraz knows: “I was the absolute top favorite right from the start, so now it’s time to confirm that. In 2023, he was defeated by Novak Djokovic here in Paris, now he’s in the final of Roland Garros for the first time
Alcaraz only dropped a single set up to the semi-finals, and that was 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 against Jesper de Jong. Sebastian Korda, Felix Auger Aliassime or Stefanos Tsitsipas? The Spaniard eliminated all of these top opponents!
6-4, 7-6, 6-3 against Korda, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 against Auger and 6-3, 7-6, 6-4 against Tsitsipas, with these results Alcaraz went into the semi-final against Jannik Sinner, the future world number 1.
A fight developed that could not have been more exciting. In the end, the Spaniard had the joy on his side, winning 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, even though Sinner was actually ahead in several categories!
The South Tyrolean was plagued by cramps in his forearm, but of course that should not detract from Alcaraz’s performance. Nevertheless, the 21-year-old can’t keep up with Zverev’s service values.
He rarely manages to win 70% of his points and serving aces is also not one of his favorite things to do. He gave Sinner the opportunity to break ten times, but he will probably have to minimize that somewhat against Zverev
My Zverev Alcaraz tip
Do the nerves hold? Alexander Zverev will play one of the biggest matches of his entire career on Sunday as he looks to finally win a Grand Slam tournament. His performances here in Paris speak for themselves.
Of course, Carlos Alcaraz has also played great matches, sending Jannik Sinner and Stefanos Tsitsipas home. Favorite at first glance? Minimally the Spaniard in my eyes.
Nevertheless, my French Open final prediction is that it will be a close, very intense affair. And that’s exactly why my prediction is:
Three sets will never, ever be enough!
