A 5-hour, 26-minute epic decided by fine margins
Carlos Alcaraz emerged victorious after an extraordinary five-set battle against Alexander Zverev, winning one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament after 5 hours and 26 minutes of relentless tennis.
First set: fine margins decide the opener
The opening set unfolded as a tightly contested affair, with both players holding serve comfortably and matching each other across all key statistical categories. The balance remained intact until 4–4, when Alcaraz produced the first break of the match.
That single breakthrough proved decisive. Alcaraz consolidated the advantage with a confident service game to close out the set 6–4. Across winners, unforced errors, and serve efficiency, the margins were razor-thin, but Alcaraz was just slightly more precise when it mattered most.
Second set: Zverev responds, Alcaraz prevails in tiebreak
Both players raised their aggression levels at the start of the second set. Zverev struck first, breaking serve to take a 4–2 lead and later serving for the set at 5–3.
However, Alcaraz refused to relent. He broke back immediately to reduce the deficit to 5–4, forcing the set into a tiebreak. In a tense breaker, Alcaraz once again proved clutch, edging it 7–5 to take a two-set lead.
Despite trailing, it was already clear that Zverev was far from finished and would not surrender the match easily.
Third set: Zverev strikes back in a serving duel
The third set developed into a pure serve-dominated contest. Zverev had an early opportunity, earning a break point in the opening game, but failed to convert. From that moment on, serves ruled.
Aces flew from both ends of the court — 11 in total during the set, with Alcaraz leading 6–5 in that category. Alcaraz produced more winners overall, but Zverev counterbalanced that with a higher number of forced errors.
The set was decided in a tiebreak, where Zverev seized control with two mini-breaks and closed it out convincingly, winning the breaker 7–3.
Fourth set: another mirror image, another tiebreak
The fourth set closely mirrored the third. Zverev again had his chances, earning two break points in the seventh game, but Alcaraz managed to escape both times.
The players finished the set level in winners, while Alcaraz again recorded more unforced errors. With no breaks of serve, the set headed to yet another tiebreak. This time, a flurry of mini-breaks followed, but Zverev held his nerve to claim the breaker 7–4 and force a deciding fifth set.
Fifth set: dramatic swings to the very end
Zverev struck immediately in the decider, breaking Alcaraz at the start of the set and backing it up with a solid hold. He maintained his advantage all the way to 5–4, where he served for the match.
Once again, Alcaraz found a way back. He broke serve to level at 5–5, then held confidently to move ahead 6–5. When Zverev served to force a final tiebreak, Alcaraz produced one last surge, breaking serve to seal victory in an unforgettable encounter.
Match stats and conclusion
Alcaraz won a total of 200 points compared to Zverev’s 194, underlining just how narrow the difference was between the two players over more than five hours of play.
The match will be remembered not only for its duration but for its sustained quality, momentum swings, and mental resilience from both competitors — a true classic that had the crowd enthralled from start to finish.
By Skyscraper2010 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=162683460
By Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA – Alexander Zverev, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71416871