The final stage for the French Open 2024 Men's Singles is set, and it will be a battle between two players who got the momentum this year.
Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev now have a chance to win their first Roland Garros title after overcoming their respective semi-final foes.
The 21-year-old Spanish survived no. 2 seed Jannik Sinner in five sets, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
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Zverev had to grind it out against 7th seed Casper Ruud after losing the first set to win the next three.
"You have to find the joy (while) suffering. That's the key - even more on clay, here at Roland Garros. Long rallies. Four-hour matches. Five sets," Alcaraz said of his tough victory.
"You have to fight. You have to suffer. But as I told my team many, many times, you have to enjoy suffering."
This is a revenge tournament for Alcaraz, who was forced to withdraw from the Italian Open 2024, the tournament before the French Open.
It is a different story for Zverev. He is on a winning streak.
He recently won the contest Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from, and he barely sweated as he wrapped it up in just two sets against world no. 16 Nicolas Harry in just two sets.
He came to the French Open 2024 as an overwhelming favorite and looks like he is about to prove analysts correct.
Part of Zverev's win streak is a battle he won not on the grass or clay court but on the legal court.
Alexander Zverev, ex-girlfriend, and their physical assault case
Many tennis fans are unaware that Zverev is also facing a legal battle while competing against the best in professional tennis.
He was accused by his ex-girlfriend, Brenda Patea, of assault stemming from their verbal argument in 2020.
The 27-year-old German can put the distraction behind him now after a German court decided he is not guilty of the accusation.
Zverev pulled off an "I told you so" when asked about the conclusion of the legal case.
When pressed to say more, he was adamant that they put the case behind them.
"We move on. I never, ever want to hear another question about the subject again. That goes out to everybody," he told reporters.
Patea's camp is yet to comment on the court's decision.
Alexander Zverev looking for his first Grand Slam
Alcaraz appears to be more accomplished than Zverev, with two Grand Slams to his name.
Zverev does not see himself as an underdog, though. He believes the past years have allowed him to grow and that he is now at the peak of his physical form.
He believes he failed to achieve his Grand Slam quest in the past seasons because he was not mature enough.
"I'm 27 years old now. So definitely not a kid anymore. Already getting older. If not now, then when?"
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