Friday, September 20, 2024

French Open LIVE: Alcaraz faces Zverev in men’s final – latest updates

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Djokovic has animated exchange with wife during French Open fightback

A new French Open men’s champion will be crowned when Carlos Alcaraz faces Alexander Zverev this afternoon, in the first Roland Garros men’s final to be played without Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic since 2004.

Both Alcaraz and Zverev came through difficult semi-finals to earn a place in their first French Open final. Spaniard Alcaraz, 21, overcame Jannik Sinner in a thrilling five-set encounter on Friday. In doing so, he became the youngest man in the Open Era to reach singles finals in grand slams events on clay, grass and hard courts.

Zverev, who defeated Nadal in the opening round of the tournament, beat two-time finalist Casper Ruud in four sets on Friday and the German, 27, is appearing in his second grand slam final. THe fourth seed lost his first from two sets up against Dominic Thiem in the 2020 US Open final. Alcaraz has won both of his grand slam finals, at the US Open and Wimbledon.

Follow all the latest tennis scores and results from the final day at the French Open below.

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French Open: Coco Gauff and Katerina Siniakova win opening set of doubles final

The opening set of the women’s doubles final goes the way of Coco Gauff and Katerina Siniakova, who edge the first-set tiebreak against Jasmine Paolini and Sara Erranil. The American-Czech pair have the break of serve in the second set, too.

(Getty Images)

Jamie Braidwood9 June 2024 12:07

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Alexander Zverev: Route to French Open final

R1: vs Rafael Nadal – 6-3 7-6 6-3

R2: vs David Goffin – 7-6 6-2 6-2

R3: vs Tallon Griekspoor (26) – 3-6 6-3 6-2 4-6 7-6

R4: vs Holger Rune (13) – 4-6 6-1 5-7 7-6 6-2

QFs: vs Alex de Minaur (11) – 6-4 7-6 6-4

SFs: vs Casper Ruud (7) – 2-6 6-2 6-4 6-2

Watch every moment of Roland-Garros LIVE on Eurosport and discovery+

Jamie Braidwood9 June 2024 12:00

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The key to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s ‘weird’ French Open semi-final

As Carlos Alcaraz advanced into his first French Open final, the 21-year-old broke into a wide smile. He had beaten rival Jannik Sinner in five sets, overturning a rocky start to outlast the player who will be turning world No 1 on Monday. Alcaraz’s victory, 2-6 6-3 3-6 6-4 6-3 in four hours and nine minutes, was not the classic that was expected between the two finest players of their generation, but it was a victory to display the vast amount of experience the Spaniard has already accumulated on these stages, acquiring the physical and mental tools to progress.

“You have to find the joy in suffering, that’s the key, even more on clay in Roland Garros,” Alcaraz grinned. “Long rallies, four-hour matches, five sets, you have to suffer. But you have to enjoy suffering.” He is now the youngest player in tennis history to reach grand slam finals on all three surfaces, after winning the US Open and Wimbledon. Unlike the 22-year-old Sinner, this was not his first time in a French Open semi-final. While Sinner struggled with cramps, stretching out his hand and arm due to “tension” in the third set, Alcaraz had been there before.

Jamie Braidwood9 June 2024 11:40

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French Open: Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev’s grand slam records

Carlos Alcaraz made history by becoming the youngest player to reach grand slam finals on all three surfaces. The Spaniard defeated Casper Ruud to win the US Open at the age of 19 in 2022, before winning an epic Wimbledon final against Novak Djokovic the following summer. Alcaraz will be playing in his first French Open final following victory over Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals.

Zverev is also playing in his first French Open final. The German had lost three semi-finals in a row before earning revenge over Casper Ruud on Friday. While Zverev is an Olympic champion and two-time ATP Finals winner, he has never won a grand slam. The closest he came was at the US Open in 2020. Zverev became the first player to lost a US Open final from two sets up in the open era, as Dominic Thiem claimed his first grand slam title.

(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Jamie Braidwood9 June 2024 11:20

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French Open: Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev head-to-head

Alexander Zverev holds the head-to-head over Carlos Alcaraz, and the German is the opponent the young Spaniard has faced the most often so far in his career with nine meetings.

Three of those have come to at the grand slams, with Zverev winning two of them when he was not considered the favourite. That includes wins over Alcaraz in the 2022 French Open semi-finals and 2024 Australian Open quarter-finals.

2024 – Indian Wells: Alcaraz 6-3 6-1

2024 – Australian Open: Zverev 6-1 6-3 6-7 6-4

2023 – ATP Finals: Zverev 6-7 6-3 6-4

2023 – US Open: Alcaraz 6-3 6-2 6-4

2023 – Madrid: Alcaraz 6-1 6-2

2022 – French Open: Zverev 6-4 6-4 4-6 7-6

2022 – Madrid: Alcaraz 6-3 6-1

2021 – Vienna: Zverev 6-3 6-3

Alexander Zverev, left, embraces Carlos Alcaraz after this year’s Australian Open quarter-final
Alexander Zverev, left, embraces Carlos Alcaraz after this year’s Australian Open quarter-final (AP)

Jamie Braidwood9 June 2024 11:00

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French Open: A historic French Open final

This afternoon’s French Open final will be the first without either Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic since 2004, as a new French Open men’s champion will be crowned.

Nadal won 14 French Open titles between 2005 and 2022, with Federer winning his first in 2009 and Djokovic claiming victory in 2015, 2021 and 2023. Stanislas Wawrinka also beat Djokovic in two finals.

Nadal was beaten in this year’s French Open first round by Alexander Zverev, while Djokovic withdrew before his quarter-final due to a right knee injury.

(Getty Images)

Jamie Braidwood9 June 2024 10:40

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French Open: Iga Swiatek says fourth Roland Garros title ’emotional’

Iga Swiatek on an “emotional” French Open title after victory over Jasmine Paolinin:

“When I talk about pressure, I usually put pressure on myself because of pressure of the outside,” she said.

“Obviously I’m a perfectionist, so there is always pressure behind me. But I think I’m fine with handling my own pressure.

“It’s when the pressure from the outside hits me, then it’s a little bit worse. But I managed it really well at this tournament.

“It was an emotional win, because I felt a lot of stress yesterday and today in the morning. And I knew if I’m going to just focus on tennis I can kind of fight through it, and at the end it all went how I wanted. So I just felt really proud of myself.”

French Open champion Iga Swiatek with the ball kids
French Open champion Iga Swiatek with the ball kids (AP)

Jamie Braidwood9 June 2024 10:15

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Iga Swiatek races to third straight French Open title with victory over Jasmine Paolini

Iga Swiatek swept to a fourth French Open crown to keep her Queen of Clay title at Roland Garros.

The world number one from Poland brushed aside Italian underdog Jasmine Paolini 6-2 6-1 in and hour and eight minutes.

King of Clay Rafael Nadal may have played his last French Open this year but Swiatek comprehensively proved once again she is also Roland Garros royalty.

She is the first woman to win three consecutive Roland Garros titles since Justine Henin in 2007 and only the third to achieve the feat in Open history, along with Monica Seles.

Swiatek is undefeated in Paris since 2021, 21 matches ago, and has won 34 of her 36 matches here, a record matched only by Seles and Chris Evert.

Jamie Braidwood9 June 2024 09:45

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French Open: Carlos Alcaraz on his first Roland Garros final

Carlos Alcaraz wants to continue Rafael Nadal’s dominance of the French Open and keep the Spanish titles coming in Paris.

“I have a special feeling about this tournament,” said the 21-year-old, who plays in his first French Open final today.

“I remember when I finished school, running to my home just to put the TV on and watch the matches here in the French Open.

“I watched a lot of matches. Of course Rafa Nadal dominating this tournament for, let’s say, 14, 15 years. It’s something unbelievable.

“I wanted to put my name on that list of the Spanish players who won this tournament.

“Not only Rafa. Ferrero, Moya, Costa, a lot of Spanish players, legends from our sport that won this tournament, I really want to put my name on that list, as well.”

Carlos Alcaraz celebrates beating Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals
Carlos Alcaraz celebrates beating Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals (AP)

Jamie Braidwood9 June 2024 09:20

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French Open: Women’s doubles final coming up first

Jasmine Paolini may have lost the women’s singles final to Iga Swiatek yesterday, but the Italian could yet taste silverware at Roland Garros as she bids for glory in the women’s doubles final at 10:30am.

Paolini and Italian playing partner, the former World No 1 Sara Errani, are taking on the team of US Open champion Coco Gauff and Czech player Katerina Siniakova.

This is Gauff’s third grand slam final in doubles, but the American is yet to win one. She lost the French Open final with Jessica Pegula in 2022, the same year she lost to Swiatek in the singles final.

Paolini is playing in a grand slam doubles final for the first time. Yesterday was her first singles final, so it’s been quite the weekend for the 28-year-old.

(Getty Images)
COCO GAUFF ABIERTO DE FRANCIA
COCO GAUFF ABIERTO DE FRANCIA (AP)

Jamie Braidwood9 June 2024 09:04

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