Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek emerged victorious at the 2024 French Open, held at Roland Garros.
Carlos Alcaraz, a 21-year-old from Spain, claimed his first French Open title by defeating Germany’s Alexander Zverev in a nail-biting final with scores of 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2. This win makes Alcaraz the youngest man to secure Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces: clay, grass, and hard court. Alcaraz had previously won the U.S. Open in 2022 and Wimbledon in 2023.
The men’s final was notably the first in twenty years without any of the “Big Three” – Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, or Roger Federer. Despite some inconsistency, Alcaraz showed determination and skill, ultimately outlasting Zverev, who is still in search of his first Grand Slam title after reaching the semifinals eight times.
In the women’s final, Iga Swiatek from Poland continued her dominance on clay by defeating Italy’s Jasmine Paolini with a decisive 6-2, 6-1 victory. This marks Swiatek’s third consecutive French Open title and her fifth Grand Slam win. Swiatek’s performance at Roland Garros extends her winning streak to 21 matches, placing her fourth on the list of longest streaks at this venue in the Open era.
Swiatek’s victory in Paris adds to her impressive record on clay, having also won titles in Madrid and Rome earlier this year. She has now matched the achievements of tennis legends Justine Henin and Monica Seles by winning three consecutive French Open titles.
These triumphs by Alcaraz and Swiatek highlight their growing prominence in the tennis world and hint at their potential to become future legends of the sport.
