Alexander Zverev had saved the best for the perfect finish, a powerful backhand like from the textbook. A backhand also into French Open luck, a backhand into the semifinals at the end of a highly dramatic duel with Spanish prodigy Carlos Alcaraz. The 19-year-old teenager repeatedly caught up with Zverev's lead in this spectacular quarter-final with the courage of desperation, but the man of the hour, the man of the season, the upcoming superstar had no answer to Zverev's dream hit on the second match point: Continue to the After the 6: 4, 6: 4, 4: 6, 7: 6 (7) thriller, the tournament victory was not played by the sky-storming Spaniard, but by Zverev, third in the world rankings, who was traded as an outsider before the game. For once, he, the beaming winner, was speechless immediately after the best game of the season: “I really don't have the words. This is a big moment for me.”

It was not only an important moment, but also an extraordinary and curiously historic triumph for the man from Hamburg, who had previously appeared rather mediocre at these French Opens. Because although Zverev has been a regular in the world elite for many years and often appeared in the advanced stages of the tournament, the success against Alcaraz was actually only the first Grand Slam victory against a top ten competitor. And he probably couldn't have come at a better time for Zverev, who has been stubbornly chasing his previous year's form since the Australian Open at the beginning of the year - now that the hottest time is running in the traveling circus, with the Grand Slam decisions in Paris and soon also in Wimbledon . "I'm glad I brought this game home," said Zverev, visibly relieved, "and I'm glad I didn't have to play a fifth set."

Zverev follows words with deeds

Before the dispute with Alcaraz, Zverev complained about the lack of appreciation and recognition by the tournament organizers and agreed that the Spaniard would be treated preferentially. It sounded like a defiant cry for more respect, but Zverev didn't have a real argument in his pocket. Luckily he let his actions speak for themselves on the main stage in Paris, sportingly explained on the red terrain that he should not be overlooked and ignored in the hype about a new child prodigy in these title decisions.

Zverev quickly dictated the beat and rhythm of the game, he played rock-solid, concentrated, with the right feeling between risk and control. On the other hand, Alcaraz regularly started pondering, and for two sentences he didn't know what to do against Zverev's striking power. He kept shaking his head, just like his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero in the player box.

Zverev shows nerves of steel

Zverev could have ended the game a good while earlier, at 4: 4 in the third set he had a crucial break ball. But Alcaraz showed nerves of steel and creativity and responded with one of his many dozen stops. He took a 5: 4 lead, took the serve from Zverev - the fourth set went into overtime. Zverev used the break chance that came up at 4: 4 and thus served a 5: 4 lead to win the match. Only to destroy all hopes of reaching the semi-finals again with the weakest service game. Over 5:5 and 6:6 we went into the tie break.

Zverev led 2: 0 and 3: 2, got into the red at 3: 4, fended off a set ball at 5: 6. Then, after an incredible reflex at the net, had the first match ball at 7:6. Comebacker Alcaraz managed to equalize again 7:7, but lost the next point. It was 8: 7 for Zverev. And then the blow came to victory, this backhand drawn like a ruler as a serve return, which even Alcaraz, the guy with the super-fast legs, could no longer match. Zverev was in the semifinals, like last year. Few would have believed him capable of that, especially not against Alcaraz, the man who had recorded a 20-1 season record on clay before this match.

Here the individual tableau in Roland Garros

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