Carlos Alcaraz battles to third Grand Slam title of career at Roland Garros, makes history

Carlos Alcaraz has won the third Grand Slam title of his career at Roland Garros, battling back from two-sets-to-one down to defeat Alexander Zverev in the final, 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.

His first two Grand Slam titles came on the hard courts of the US Open in 2022 and on the grass of Wimbledon in 2023.

So now, with his triumph on the clay courts of Roland Garros, the 21-year-old Spaniard has made history, becoming the youngest man ever to win a Grand Slam title on hard, grass and clay.

He’s the seventh man overall to do it.

MEN TO WIN MAJORS ON HARD, GRASS AND CLAY (listed by age—event listed where surface set completed):

• Carlos Alcaraz, 21 [at 2024 Roland Garros]
• Rafael Nadal, 22 [at 2009 Australian Open]
• Mats Wilander, 23 [at 1988 Australian Open]
• Jimmy Connors, 26 [at 1978 US Open]
• Roger Federer, 27 [at 2009 Roland Garros]
• Novak Djokovic, 29 [at 2016 Roland Garros]
• Andre Agassi, 29 [at 1999 Roland Garros]

Jimmy Connors was the first man to win a Grand Slam title on all three surfaces, when he won the US Open in 1978—which was actually the first major played on hard courts. By that time he had already won three on grass (the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open in 1974) and one on clay (the US Open in 1976).

Until now, the youngest man to complete the sweep was Nadal, who was 22 when he won the Australian Open in 2009, his first on hard—he had already won four on clay (Roland Garros in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008) and one on grass (Wimbledon in 2008).

Additionally, not only is Alcaraz the youngest man ever to win a Grand Slam title on all three surfaces, he’s actually the first man ever to win his first three on three different surfaces, period.

He’s now three quarters of the way to a Career Slam, only missing the Australian Open. His best result to date Down Under was a quarterfinal showing there earlier this year, where he fell to Zverev.