BY JAMES BECK
Alexander Zverev may finally be ready to win a Grand Slam title. Just maybe.
Carlos Alcaraz produces magic, while Zverev may actually be the strongest hitter in the men’s game right now.
Zverev appears to be as mobile around the court as almost anyone. And he can hit with anyone.
Then, there’s the serve. It was off a bit at the start against Casper Ruud in the French Open semifinals, but the serve took charge of the match to win the last three sets in a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 victory.
YES, ZVEREV KNOWS HE CAN WIN THE BIG ONE
Why shouldn’t Zverev think he can win this French Open? After all, the talented German actually owns a 5-4 edge in head-to-head meetings with the 21-year-old Alcaraz.
Zverev has been playing like a wild man recently. He usually serves like no one else with brutal power. And his ground strokes must look like missiles to his opponent, especially the backhand.
He’s more versatile than he looks. And now, like Alcaraz, Zverev has an arsenal of drop shots.
Of course, in the past, there have been times when Zverev couldn’t finish the job. This will be his second Grand Slam final, having lost in the 2020 U.S. Open final to Dominic Thiem.
THE TALL GUY MUST BE PRETTY GOOD ON CLAY
Zverev has reached four consecutive Roland Garros semifinals. So, even at 6-6 tall he must be a pretty good clay courter, even one capable of defeating Alcaraz? Yes.
Alcaraz didn’t pull the rabbit out of his hat against soon to-be No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner until he was down two sets to one in Friday’s other semifinal.
And then Sinner suddenly went down rather quietly in clutch situations in his 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 loss to Alcaraz.
TWO LOBS CHANGED THE MATCH
Two consecutive points that Alcaraz won with almost magical lobs appeared to play a major role in the match. Ahead 30-0 in the 10th game of the fourth set and having lost only three points in the set on his serve, Sinner appeared to be ready to even the set at 5-5.
But Sinner misplayed the two Alcaraz lobs and lost both points to put the Spanish star in position to force a fifth set by winning the next two points.
Sinner wasn’t the same after that as he quickly faced a 4-1 deficit in the decisive set.
THE MAGICAL RACKET MAY STILL BELONG TO ALCARAZ
About the same time, Alcaraz seemed to have magic in his racket, repeatedly notching magical winners.
So, Alcaraz is knocking on the door of his third Grand Slam title, and in the process needing only the Australian Open to complete a career Grand Slam at a very young age.
The key might be whether the Spanish star has magic in his racket again.
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James Beck was the 2003 winner of the USTA National Media Award for print media. A 1995 MBA graduate of The Citadel, he can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com.
