Roland-Garros: Carlos Alcaraz- Sacha Zverev, the wait is so long to know another winner

Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev both dream of lifting the Musketeers Cup this Sunday afternoon. MAXPPP – MAYA VIDON-WHITE

Carlos Alcaraz et Alexander Zverev rêvent tous deux de soulever la coupe des Mousquetaires, ce dimanche après-midi. MAXPPP

Pour la première fois depuis 2015, la finale, dimanche 9 juin, à 15 h, va sacrer un champion inédit. Une nouvelle ère s’ouvre, en l’absence du “Big 3” en finale, une première depuis 2004.

The Roland-Garros final this Sunday between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev (3 p.m.) will pit two players who have been pawing at the Coupe des Mousquetaires for years, and will crown a new champion for the first time since Stan Wawrinka in 2015.

In addition, for the first time since 2004, a final at Roland-Garros will be played without any of the members of the “Big 3”, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic. Times are changing and at the end of a long fortnight which saw the elimination of Nadal in the first round – by Zverev – and Djokovic's injury withdrawal before his quarter-final, it is therefore the young Alcaraz (21 years old) and the more experienced Zverev (27 years old) who will fight for the title.

Zverev perseveres

The precedents speak largely in favor of the Spaniard: the Murcian won his first Grand Slam final at the 2022 US Open and then won Wimbledon 2023 by beating the master of the place Novak Djokovic.
Opposite, the German has only played one Grand Slam final, at the 2020 US Open, which he lost in the midst of Covid-19 against Dominic Thiem, paralyzed by the stakes. “I was two points from the match, but I wasn't ready to win such a tournament. I wasn't mature enough. Today I am 27 years old, I am not a child anymore. If I do not win this time, then when?", Zverev says.

This aplomb that characterizes his speeches does not contribute to his popularity. But it is clear that the facts prove him right lately. « Finally! The fourth attempt is the charm», he savored at the end of his fourth semi in a row in Paris.

It will also no longer have the weight of the trial taking place in parallel in Berlin since the case was closed on Friday with an amicable agreement. "Abandonment of procedure means innocence. I never want to hear any questions about this again", he warned.

The time of Alcaraz ?

Alcaraz, for his part, remained with the bitter taste of a poor performance in the semis last year against Djokovic, where his young physique had betrayed him. This time, he was able to manage the excess of energy necessary to eliminate the future world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

The risk would be to consider having won the final before its time by winning this duel promised to become the great classic of the coming years.

But Alcaraz assures that he will not fall into the trap. "I absolutely do not feel like I won the final before time. Sunday's match will be very difficult, knowing that it will be hard and that I will have to fight", he insisted.

Alcaraz sees himself lifting the Musketeers' Cup: "Obviously I imagine myself with the cup, I'm only a little away walk. Finals are made to be won, not to be played." In the event of a title, Alcaraz would also overtake Djokovic in the rankings to become world No.2.