"I really don't know what happened" - Carlos Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero recalls sudden slump from winning position in French Open final

Carlos Alcaraz's coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, shed light on the significant challenges Alcaraz faced in the third set of the laborious five-setter against Alexander Zverev in the French Open final. The Spaniard made history by securing his third career Grand Slam title at the 2024 French Open.

Alcaraz got past Zverev in a grueling four-hour, 19-minute final that kept the fans on the edge of their seats throughout. Converting nine out of 16 break points during the match played a crucial role in his victory.

Carlos Alcaraz is now the youngest male player to secure Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces.

While he eventually stood tall on Court Philippe Chatrier, there was a point in the match when it appeared that Zverev might win his maiden Grand Slam, leading two sets to one. Furthermore, Alcaraz took a medical timeout during the fourth set owing to difficulties with his left leg.

The Spaniard had previously requested pickle juice to deal with cramping. But he managed to overcome all the challenges to win the final two sets and collect the Coupe des Mousquetaires.

Following the win, former French Open winner Juan Carlos Ferrero was asked about that difficult phase and what he was most concerned about at the end of the third set. Ferrero admitted he was unsure what had transpired, since the situation was under control before that.

"I really don't know what happened in the third set because it seems to me that all was under control," Ferrero told Eurosports [1:47].

According to Ferrero, Alcaraz experienced a surge of tension in his legs and arms and was overthinking about winning the match. He suggested that losing the third set might have been necessary for Alcaraz to reset mentally, stay calm, and return to playing at his true level.

"But at the end, I think he got too much tensions on his legs on his arms, and thinking too much about winning the match. And he needed to lose that set to start over and stay calm and start to play his real level," he added.

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"I didn’t play my best tennis in the third set" - Carlos Alcaraz after 2024 French Open victory

2023 US Open - Day 2

Carlos Alcaraz won his first Roland Garros after an incredible display of resilience. Reflecting on his performance later, the Spaniard admitted to feeling uncertain and questioned whether nerves played a role in his mid-match slump.

“Honestly, when I finished the third set, I had a lot of doubts. I’m not going to lie because I felt like my shots [weren’t] putting trouble onto Sascha. He was dominating the game very well with his serve and topspin balls. It was difficult for me. It doesn’t matter that he had the serve to win the third set. I don’t know whether it was nerves," Carlos Alcaraz told Eurosport.

Alcaraz acknowledged that he did not play his best tennis in the third set, which he lost despite leading 5-2 at one stage. However, he always knew it was crucial to put in his best efforts which ultimately led to his victory.

“I didn’t play my best tennis in the third set, but we were in a final of a Grand Slam, so it was the time to give everything. It was the time to find solutions, and starting the fourth set at 40-0 helped me a lot to relieve a little bit. Play my style, my game, and in the fifth set, it was time to give everything I had inside," he added.

With this colossal triumph, Carlos Alcaraz became the seventh Spanish player to lift the Roland Garros title. The Spaniard is expected to start his grass swing at the Queen’s Club Championship.