"If you are mentally weak, you probably won't win a Slam" - Carlos Alcaraz credits his fortitude after beating Alexander Zverev in French Open final
Carlos Alcaraz has shed light on the biggest lesson he learned during his title run at the 2024 French Open. The Spaniard also credited his mental strength for pushing him over the finish line to secure his third Grand Slam title.
After cruising through to the semifinals with just one set dropped, Alcaraz endured intense back-to-back five-set thrillers against second seed Jannik Sinner and fourth seed Alexander Zverev at the claycourt Major.
The 21-year-old showcased his resilience by claiming a 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Sinner in the semifinals. His persistence was also on display in the final, as he mounted a remarkable comeback from two sets to one down to beat Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 after a four-hour and 19-minute battle.
Given the exceptional fortitude and composure Carlos Alcaraz demonstrated, it is unsurprising that the Spaniard revealed that the biggest takeaway from his campaign is the importance of mental strength.
During his post-match press conference, the 21-year-old emphasized that even performing at the best level proves inadequate if a player is "mentally weak."
Alcaraz also asserted that, while it is possible to make deep runs off the back of high-level performances, it is the ability to remain focused and composed in the crucial moments that sets champions apart. As such, he expressed satisfaction with himself for displaying this mental strength in the title clash.
"The lesson I have learned from this tournament is that mental strength wins matches. That is the lesson I have learned at Roland Garros. It is not necessary to play brilliantly, it is not necessary to play my best tennis or my version of tennis to win. Also you win a lot with your head," Carlos Alcaraz said.
"If you are mentally weak, even if you play the best tennis of your life, you probably won't overcome adversity or win a Grand Slam tournament. You can advance rounds, but when the time comes, if you don't show mental strength, You don't win Grand Slams. It is the subject that I have passed and that I had pending," he added.
"I lost focus... but against Carlos Alcaraz it's a different intensity" - Alexander Zverev after French Open final loss
Following his loss in the French Open final, Alexander Zverev showered praise on Carlos Alcaraz, labeling the Spaniard a "beast" and an "animal" for his remarkable physical strength.
The German also admitted that he lost focus and began struggling on serve amid Alcaraz's relentless intensity, conceding that he needed to reevaluate his preparation and physical conditioning.
"I lost focus, and on my serve I didn't get the power from my legs anymore, which is weird, because normally I do not get tired. I don't cramp, I don't get tired normally," Zverev told the press.
"But again, against Carlos it's a different intensity, so maybe that was the case a bit. Yeah, maybe I have to look at my preparation. Maybe I have to look at how I do things on a physical base as well," he added.
Zverev held the upper hand in his rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz prior to the Roland Garros final. However, the 21-year-old leveled their head-to-head record at 5-5 with his victory.