Match Stats/Report - Alcaraz vs Zverev, French Open final, 2024

[Waspsting]

Carlos Alcaraz beat Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in the French Open final, 2024 on clay

It was Alcaraz’ first title at the event and third Slam title. Zverev was looking for his first Slam title from his second final. He’d beaten 14 time former champion and now unseeded Rafael Nadal in the first round. Alcaraz would also go onto win Wimbledon shortly after. The two had at Australian Open quarter-final earlier in the year, with Zverev winning

Alcaraz won 153 points, Zverev 139

Serve Stats
Alcaraz...
- 1st serve percentage (97/159) 61%
- 1st serve points won (62/97) 64%
- 2nd serve points won (31/62) 50%
- Aces 3
- Double Faults 6
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (23/159) 14%

Zverev...
- 1st serve percentage (97/133) 73%
- 1st serve points won (61/97) 63%
- 2nd serve points won (12/36) 33%
- Aces 8, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 6
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (28/133) 21%

Serve Pattern
Alcaraz served...
- to FH 47%
- to BH 48%
- to Body 5%

Zverev served...
- to FH 52%
- to BH 45%
- to Body 3%

Return Stats
Alcaraz made...
- 99 (53 FH, 46 BH), including 3 runaround FHs & 1 drop-return
- 19 Errors, comprising...
- 7 Unforced (4 FH, 3 BH)
- 12 Forced (6 FH, 6 BH)
- Return Rate (99/127) 78%

Zverev made...
- 130 (65 FH, 65 BH), including 3 runaround FHs
- 1 Winner (1 FH)
- 20 Errors, comprising...
- 8 Unforced (5 FH, 3 BH)
- 12 Forced (9 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (130/153) 85%

Break Points
Alcaraz 9/16 (12 games)
Zverev 6/23 (11 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding aces)
Alcaraz 48 (26 FH, 11 BH, 4 FHV, 2 BHV, 5 OH)
Zverev 26 (6 FH, 10 BH, 2 FHV, 3 BHV, 5 OH)

Alcaraz' FHs - 6 cc (1 pass), 6 dtl (2 passes), 6 inside-out (1 at net), 1 inside-out/dtl, 3 inside-in, 3 drop shots
- BHs - 4 cc (2 passes - 1 at net, 1 one-handed), 2 dtl passes (1 at net), 4 drop shots, 1 lob (that Zverev leaves)

- 5 from serve-volley points -
- 4 first 'volleys' (3 FHV, 1 OH)... the OH was on the bounce
- 1 second 'volley' (1 FH at net)... played from just behind service line

- 3 other OHs were on the bounce (1 just behind service line)

Zverev's FHs - 1 cc return pass (that Alcaraz leaves), 3 dtl (1 at net), 2 inside-out (1 at net, 1 pass)
- BHs - 3 cc (1 at net, 1 pass), 4 dtl, 1 longline at net, 2 running-down-drop-shot cc at net (1 pass)

- 5 from serve-volley points - 3 first volleys (1 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 OH) & 2 second volleys (1 BHV, 1 OH)

- 1 other OH was on the bounce

Errors (excluding returns and serves)
Alcaraz 79
- 52 Unforced (30 FH, 21 BH, 1 OH)... with 1 FH running-down-drop-shot at net
- 27 Forced (12 FH, 11 BH, 3 FHV, 1 BHV)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.1

Zverev 76
- 45 Unforced (26 FH, 15 BH, 3 FHV, 1 BHV)... with 1 BH at net & 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- 31 Forced (15 FH, 15 BH, 1 BHV)... with 5 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.2

(Note 1: all half-volleys refer to such shots played at net. Half -volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke counts)

(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Alcaraz was...
- 32/47 (68%) at with, including...
- 15/20 (75%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
---
- 1/4 (25%) forced back/retreated

Zverev was...
- 31/54 (57%) at with, including...
- 7/10 (70%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
---
- 2/4 (50%) forced back/retreated

Match Report
One big, bruising ball-bash. Alcaraz has better of things on the FH, Zverev off the BH, with both players competitive on wing they’ve got shorter end of stick of. Zverev has stronger serve. Alcaraz is that much quicker, better at defending and more willing to attack. Who has better of things time shifts over time. And match is closer than scoreline looks

1 & 2 in the last 2 sets looks convincing. Its tough as can be for such a scoreline and its not much exaggeration to even suggest Zverev could have won the sets in question

Breaks points in last 2 sets read Alcs 5/9 (6 games), Zver 1/9 (4 games)
With Alcs serving 57 points or 7.1 per game, Zver 46 or 6.6
Lots of long, tough games on both players serve. Alcs able to breakthrough in them, Zver not

To Alcs’ credit, he’s never not aggressive. If anything, he steps up his shot-making and aggression when in trouble to hold serve, while to break, its more his toughing out hard rallies ahead of a not flagging Zver. If you have to attribute result to clutching/choking, call it a clutch from Alcs. No advantage for either player as they’re equally tired at the end, but Zver loses more for so being, with strength of his serve dropping, as effectiveness of his game is more tied up to the serve than Alcs’ game is to anything

Match long, Alcs wins 6 fewer points than he serves, Zver 6 more
Or Alcs winning 52.3% of the points, serving 54.5% of them
Not what you’d expect, given sets he wins are 3, 2 & 1 (the 3 is 2 break cushion), while one he loses is 5-7

Break points - Alcs 9/16 (12 games), Zver 6/23 (11 games), and by set -
Set 1 - Alcs 3/5 (4 games), Zver 1/2 (1 game)
Set 2 - Zver 2/7 (3 games)
Set 3 - Alcs 1/2 (2 games), Zver 2/5 (3 games)
Set 4 - Alcs 3/5 (3 games), Zver 1/4 (2 games)
Set 5 - Alces 2/4 (3 games), Zver 0/5 (2 games)

Basic Stats -
First serve in - Alcs 61%, Zver 73%
First serve won - Alcs 64%, Zver 63%
Second serve won - Alcs 50%, Zver 33%

Zver naturally with bigger serve. And not surprisingly, getting higher lot of first serves in

Alcs shading first serve points won in that light speaks to Alcs being better court player, from lead or attacking position. Zver has 21% to 14% lead in freebies and 9-3 lead in aces/service winners (with both players sending down 97 first serves), so for first serve points won to be the same (raw figures are Alcs 62/97, Zver 61/97), Alcs must be dominating rallies to compensate

First serve points for both players are very much server in command to start rally. This ain’t no all-points-starting-neutrally show
Second serve points are open to interpretation. At a glance, best guess would be Alcs returning aggressively.

A little of that going on, and only a little. Alcs largely returns from well back, including against second serves. Not enough to explain so low a figure as 33%, especially when he’s won his even share of 2nd return points, which he returns from well-back position and so, is in a reactive bad position to start rally

In first 3 sets, Zver winning 9/21 second serve points
In last 2, its 3/15. Both his serves weaken during this period

Two players go about business in different ways

Zver with big serve and ball-bashing groundies. Looks for unreturned serves, looks to hit through Alcs and to keep Alcs shot-making curbed. Comes to net fair bit, where he’s gangly looking, but often coming in off very strong approaches set up the serve

Alcs not so reliant on the serve and looking to actively attack in rallies. He’s willing to attack by going wide, serve-voleying or otherwise coming to net but his stock hitting is up there with Zver’s. Indulges in shot-making. Is quicker and defensively tougher than Zver. If anything, is pointedly aggressive on important times, usually successfully

 

[Waspsting]

Serve & Return
Both players return from well-back. Zver virtually always from as far back as possible, against both serves. Alcs plays around with his position, sometiimes moving in to half-back position and rarely, to normal, step and half behind baseline against second serves. He’s usually near full back to return first serves too

Zver with huge first serve at 73% in count. Not just good, but possibly necessary move by Alcs to returning from far-back. On power and height grounds alone, these serves would probably be drawing a lot of unreturneds against standard position returning. And not a bad idea to play around with his position. Would probably have been better to have done so more, or to have taken second returns from at least standard position by default. Zver’s second serves get up high, but not so tough to handle that returning from very far back is only way to cope

Unreturneds - Alcs 14%, Zver 21%
Aces/service winners - Alcs 3, Zver 9
First serve ace/SW rate - Alcs 3%, Zver 9%

Relative success for way-back position. Even on clay, Zver’s serve is potential 30%+ freebie drawing calibre, due to more to sheer force and bounce rather than wide placement. Keeping it down to low 21% is good from Alcs’ point of view

And can’t ask for much more than 85% return rate for Zver. Clearly, his focus is on maximizing return rate and he’s ready to defend and counter-punch from defensive position (as opposed to return with neutralizing or initiative grabbing force at cost of missing a few returns). In that light, opponenet with just 14% freebies is clearing first hurdle by long way

Both players with 6 double faults. Alcs from 62 second serves, Zver 36. Not a big problem for Zver and Alcs is very good. No reason for him to double fault with Zver not putting any pressure on his second serve

Both players serving a lot to the others FH. Alcs does so 47% (1% less than to BH), Zver 52% (7% more than to BH)
No real difference in quality of Alcs’ returns across wings. Same number of 6 FEs, 4 FH UEs to 3 BHs. Hits his BHs hard, but just along natural lines, probably not harder than the FHs
Zver is less steady on the FH return (14 errors to 5 on the BH). He’s one of the few players with obviously very strong, well struck BHs

Both players’ backward return-positions invite serve-volleying, and both servers indulge
Serve-volleying, Alcs is 15/20, Zver 7/10 (all first serves)
Alcs serve-volleying some is common, Zver less so

Gist - low unretured rates, with both returners taking ball from well-back positions
Dynamic it sets up is server in good position to start coming rally
Alcs’ occasionally stepping up some. His ‘stepped up’ is still usually further back than average
As the one standing further behind, Zver’s likely to have a harder time of rally than Alcs, and 7% lead in unreturneds is handy for him, but just 21% unreutrned is a good outcome for Alcs against a huge serve at 73% in count

Play - Baseline (& Net)
Deceptive stats

Winners - Alcs 48, Zver 26
Errors forced - Alcs 31, Zver 27
UEs - Alcs 52, Zver 45

FH winners - Alcs 26, Zver 6, sans which, winners Alcs 22, Zver 20

Looks like only substantial difference is the high damage done by Alcs’ FH. And that its streets better than Zver’s. It is better but Zver usually hammers FHs too. This is no pusher showing from Zver. He doesn’t have Alcs shot-making and his finishing is blunter, hit through type play (as opposed to going wide for winners). If 26-6 winner difference in FH is conjuring images of thorough Alcs dominance on that wing, its inaccurate

Ball-bashing is the umbrella under which all play falls. Brutish hard hitting groundies off both sides, by both players, including Zver’s FH, is staple of play. Shot tolerance (resisting giving up weak ball against power), as well as consistency (simply, not missing) is put under the microscope for and and to both players

Pure ground UEs (excluding groundstrokes at net) -
BH UEs - Zver 13, Alcs 21
FH UEs - Zver 26, Alcs 29
… with neutral UEs dead even 25 apiece

Zverev statistically more solid off both wings
Practically, the equal neutral UEs is more telling

Its Zver’s consistency that fluctuates more. At his best, he can’t seem to miss a ball. But he’s also the one who goes into sloppy territory with the errors at times. Alcs by contrast is never a wall, but also never spraying the ball

Zver gets better of BH play, and its particularly good. Hits hard always, barely a mishit, changes directions. Uses it to approach. He’s got 5 power winners in baseline rallies with it to Alcs’ 2 (Alcs also has 4 drop shots). Not only does he get better of consistency, he slightly outhits Alcs and pushes him back some. Not much, because Alcs hits hard too and it’s a contest

FH rallies are hard hitting too. Zver pounding ball as hard as Alcs, but more prone to eventually give up weaker ball. Alcs shanks a good few FHs
Neutral UEs being even is a relative win for Alcs, as he has more attacking gears

Most importantly, there being 56 FH UEs, 36 BHs speaks to lines of play, and more FH play is a win for Alcs. He’s either directed action well, or Zver has failed to. Alcs doesn’t seem to be directing action or making any particular effort to have FHs on forefront, and Zver’s erred in not pointedly keeping things more to BH, where he has better of things. He also doesn’t seem to make a point of directing action, though his ability to get out of a FH rally with longline shot isn’t good. Alcs by contrast, can change-up of either wing

Ground to ground FH winners - Alcs 18, Zver 2
… speaks for itself, and with Alcs going all directions with it. He’s got 5 cc, 4 dtl, 6 inside-out based and 3 inside-in winners (not to mention 3 drop shots). He’s got more winners in any basic driection or with drop shots than Zver has total

Would expect a massacare in FH rallies, given that, but to repeat, its at least, not a massacare. Zver hits lustily off FH too, but his inability to finish off that side is apparent. He does force a few errors with strong FH cc’s

Where Alcs is involved, there’s always the matter of drop shots. He’s got 7 winners, forces 5 errors and Zver has a UE dealing with them. No more than 3-4 UEs going for them and Zver with a couple of winners running them down.

And that’s with Zver particularly on point in anticipating and reaching the droppers. Always nice to have a good dropper in the locker and doubly so amidst ball-bashing action that encourages players to stay behind baseline, especially someone like Zver who’s disinclined to take ball early.

Rallying to net -
- Alcs 17/27 or 63%, Zver 24/44 or 55%

Zver’s figures are inflated by all the forced approaches to deal with drop shots, but coming forward to finish is what he does when in commanding position. Its necessary, given his inability to finish with FH winners. Comes in off very strong approaches and doesn’t have much to do on the volley. Which is good, because his volleying is ungainly and not good

10 ‘volley’ winners (5 of them are from his 10 serve-volley points), 4 UEs, 1 FE. Also leaves a lob that’s obviously going to land in on a crucial point. Zver’s success at net is product of his baseline play (being in position to make commanding approach) or serve (serve setting up easy approach), not good volleying. Numbers don’t do him justice as Alcs’ drop shotting has significant hand in his approaches. Could probably bump the 10 serve-volleys (he wins 7), with Alcs regularly very far back to return, but way he looks around forecourt, understandable he doesn’t want to

Alcs figures are fair reflection of how he is in forecourt. Throw in the 15/20 he wins serve-volleying - he’s free to do so at anytime with Zver always in full-back return position, and he’s won 68% net points. Also a nice thing to have up ones sleeve for quick , easy points

Alcs with 11 volley winners, just 1 UE and 4 FEs. He both volleys well and looks the part at net, unlike Zver

Attacking UEs - Alcs 17, Zver 12
Errors forced - Alcs 31, Zver 27

Mix of baseline action and net involved, but both doing well. Given inability to hit winners, would be good for Zver to get better of Alcs here, but Alcs hasn’t put all his eggs in just flaming winners. 48 winners, 31 errors forced is an excellent balance of attacking play from Alcs

On clay, defensive vigour is big factor in these kinds of figures. Alcs is quicker and better at getting tough balls back, though Zver is good too. Taking that into account, Zver probably edging moderate attacking play. But…

 

[Waspsting]

Winner attempt UEs - Alcs 10, Zver 8
Winners - Alcs 48, Zver 26

One of the linchpins of Alcs’ game on show here. Zver’s not bad, but an avenue or 2 behind on this front

26 winners, 27 errors forced from Zver on clay, generally, would be a sounder balance than Alcs’ winner heavy one. In this case, ‘soundness’ counts for squat; Alcs is just as good at forcing errors - the ‘unsound’ lot of winners he’s nailing is all to his brilliant credit. They’re products of both shots out of routine positions and shots set up by outplaying Zver in rallies - good stuff from Alcs, and beyond Zver’s ability to match

Gist - lot going on
- Staple ball-bashing, dual winged action, biased to FH
- Zver with stronger BH (more powerful, more secure, more comfy attacking)
- Alcs with stronger FH (eventually able to extract weak ball, but it doesn’t come easy with consistency about equal)
- Zver’s offence somewhat limited to straight power hitting, with net play added on to finish sometime
- Alcs has that too, but also shot-making and drop shots and serve-volleying. He’s tougher in defence too, though Zver’s not bad
Alcs’ FH shot-making is biggest difference between 2 players, and it is big. He nails winners in all directions, both from routine positions and after set up. Zver doesn’t and can’t

Match Progression
Nervy pair of breaks to start the match. Zver double faults first 2 points of match, Alcs wraps up the break with winners from BHV and a very good FH inside-out/dtl from routine position
Alcs first service game isnt’ much better - mishit third ball FH UE and double fault to start, a bad drop shot that’s putaway by Zver and he misses an attacking BH to hand back the break

Thankfully, action picks up right after, and rest of set is marked by brutish ball-bashing. Some good running ‘gets’ by Alcs, who bashes that much better. Zver is on look out and quick to deal with drop shots

Couple more break for Alcs and Zver survives 15-40 in another game, so convincing superiority from Alcs in the set

Very clean second set from Zver, who hardly misses a ball, while hitting powerfully. Breaks twice, and takes Alcs to 18 point game beside. Alcs takes Zver to 2 deuce games too, but can’t reach break point. Some serve-volleying from Zver and the small matter of 20/24 first serves in as he takes the set

Good plotline gets added to good tennis in third set. Zver carries on the good work and takes his run of service points won in a row to 14, when out of the blue, Alcs breaks him to love in a great game where he moves up to return for 4-2. Consolidates the break in tough 12 point game where he saves 3 break points

Zver wins next 5 games with tussley action from there. Good, counter-attacking game from Zver to break Alcs, as latter serves for set at 5-3, and he Zver consolidates to love with 4 unreurned serves. It’s a bad game of sloppy ground UEs from Alcs that gets him broken again to 15 to leave Zver to serve for the set

Which he does, in tough 10 point game, wher ehas to save a break point

As mentioned earlier, last 2 sets are deceptively not easy. Fourth set is choppy from both players and downright sloppy from Zver at times. His serve strength’s gone down and is quite returnable and he has runs of missing routine groundies. Still, doesn’t give up breaks easily and manages to clay his way into return games

Zver bafflingly leaves a lob to land in for the winner in second game and Alcs seals the break with a nice, running, ‘banana’ FH dtl pass winner. Breaks again for 4-0 - couple of doubles from Zver, a FH cc pass winner against a not god approach and a lovely BH drop shot winner to finish by Alcs

Zver breaks right back - perfect BH dtl winner and a well met running-down-drop-volley BH cc pass winner against serve-volley does the trick
Alcs breaks in an up and down, 10 point game, which ends very poorly from Zver, missing 3 third ball groundies (2 routines, 1 against well hit return), all UEs. Alcs has to save 3 break points to serve out for 6-1

Similar stuff in the decider. Zver stops rot to hold but plays a terrible game to get broken for 1-2 (2 easy volley misses, a double fault and a routine BH UE). But he’s got 0-40 in the next game. Some very bold, aggressive shot choices from Alcs to come away with the hold from there and its 3-1. He serves a double fault on one of the break points which overruled by the Chair upon checking the mark

Zver holds 10 point game (1 break point) and Alcs a 12 point one (also 1 break point) as score moves along to 4-2

Top drawer game from Alcs out of the blue to break to love from there. Begins and ends with FH inside-in winers, with a winning wide FH cc and 1-handed BH cc pass winner inches from ground. Coincidentally, he’s play a similar game at tail end of third set in the Wimby final to leave himself serving for the match

He serves out to 15, without issue

Summing up, intense hard hitting and competitive match. Even the last 2 sets, that Alcaraz wins 1 & 2 are not one sided

Zverev looks to score with big serve and bludgeoning groundies. He keeps high in-count, but serve eventually weakens. Decent job by Alcaraz returning from well back to keep the freebies down

Zverev elects to return from well back himself, against a serve that doesn’t compel him to do so. He keeps the freebies down too, but is on back foot and left to counter-punch to make headways towards breaking

Bludeonging stock rallies. Alcaraz has better of FH action (slightly more powerful, and Zverev in time giving up weak ball more often), Zverev the BH (slightly more power and more secure). More FH rallies than BHs, though not actively implemented that way by either player

Alcaraz though is much better at attacking. Some great shot-making of the FH and typical excellent drop shots off both wings, along with considerable serve-volleying to exploit opponent’s return position, with good net play. Zverev largely limited to power-hitting through opponent and near token approaches to pressuringly finish off points, often set up by powerful serves

Alcaraz quicker and better at defending as well, though Zverev is good in this area too

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

As always, a masterpiece by @Waspsting.
Alcaraz made this messy for himself, he should've wrapped this one in 4 sets max.

 

[Waspsting]

As always, a masterpiece by @Waspsting.
Alcaraz made this messy for himself, he should've wrapped this one in 4 sets max.

Would be difficult

20/24 first serves in for Zverev in 2nd set
And substantil serve dominance from him in 3rd set - more than Alcs has going on, though Alcs has his chances
Good game from Zver to break when Alcs serves for it. 5/6 first serves in, just 1 UE from Alcs (Zver has 2)

Think Zverev's problems have to do with maintaining consistency over long periods
But when he's bombing down first serves at huge in count and walled up from back... not a lot of fun to watch, but he's hard to breakdown

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

Would be difficult

20/24 first serves in for Zverev in 2nd set
And substantil serve dominance from him in 3rd set - more than Alcs has going on, though Alcs has his chances
Good game from Zver to break when Alcs serves for it. 5/6 first serves in, just 1 UE from Alcs (Zver has 2)

Think Zverev's problems have to do with maintaining consistency over long periods
But when he's bombing down first serves at huge in count and walled up from back... not a lot of fun to watch, but he's hard to breakdown

Alcaraz should've taken that 3rd set by 6-3 really, then I'd assume that he'd run away with the 4th had he done that.

Additionally, onw would expect a player of Alcaraz's calibre to serve out a crucial set in a slam final from 5-3 up, but that service game there was riddled with poor shot selections & untimely errors. Let me explain them.

1st point in that 5-3 game
After exchanging a few shots, Alcaraz hits a good angled FH CC, and stretches Zverev to his right. Now the ideal move there from Alcaraz should've been to move to his left, as Zverev was eyeing a midcourt FH which then would've been dispatched for a CC BH winner by Alcaraz had he not approached the net suicidally, because Zverev wasn't going to recover from the stretch on the right, run to the left and make another stretch again. Otoh, the Spaniard in no way was in any position to approach the net & win the point there, he still did and lost the opening point.
0-15

2nd point
Alcaraz approaches the net for a S&V attempt on the back of a not-so-angled, centre-ish, not so pacey and/or bouncy serve to the Zverev BH and misses the volley into the bottom of the net. Even if he had made it, Zverev was running towards the net already and would've made it difficult for Alcaraz to win the point. Bad strategy from Alcaraz to approach like that, should've really rallied a bit before trying the net.
0-30

3rd point
BH DTL winner attempt UFE by Zverev after 3 shots
15-30

4th point
FH CC UFE by Zverev after 4 shots
30-30

5th point
Alcaraz misses a routine CC BH after a few shots, the shot hit prior to that by Zed was not that hard hit or threatening, this was just a loose error by Alc. The pressure was all on Zed as he'd have gone down 2-1 sets, so Alc should've kept the rally alive by any means necessary.
30-40.

6th point
Yet another suicidal net approach by Alcaraz on the back of a 3rd ball Inside out centre-ish, not-so-great-on-depth forehand to Zverev BH, and paid the price. Zverev breaks.

3 suicidal net approaches out of 6 service points, I think that was very strange by Alcaraz m's lofty standards of clutch.