Would you believe it, the organisers of the tournament are going to rethink the whole night session gig. So we must not ask how did they even get into the position where they're thinking about a rethink. Clearly not enough intensity. Ask Alexander Zverev about that.
Start
Before the mortal combat between fourth seed Alexander Zverev and third seed Carlos Alcaraz commenced on Court Philippe Chatrier, the paying gaggle were treated to something soft and fluffy. A 50-piece orchestra of strings and brass regaled us with a section from Rossini’s William Tell overture while 10 people waved racquets left and right and centre. In the next piece, ball boys and girls joined the swirling throng who had whipped out black scarves to adorn their movements. And then the fly-over from the Patrouille de France who can do all kinds of acrobatic stunts up there in the heavens. Everyone clapped.
Beast man
Back on terra firma of the Court Phillipe Chatrier, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev performed myriad athletic wonders over four hours and 19 minutes. Tense and edgy, it was. Hardly surprising really as both were playing in their first final at the French Open. Just as he did at the US Open final in New York in September 2020, Zverev lost. "We're both physically strong," said the German. "But he's a beast. He's an animal, for sure. The intensity he plays tennis at is different to other people." But, hola, not only is the 21-year-old Spaniard tough. He thinks. "He changed his tactic a lot in the fifth set," Zverev bemoaned. "He started to play a lot higher, a lot deeper for me to not create as much power. He's a fantastic player and physically he's fantastic."
Mark of the beast
Oh these young men are such cards. Freshly anointed French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz plans to head off to the tattoo shop. "It's going to be in the left ankle," said the 21-year-old Spaniard who had a mark put on his right ankle after winning Wimbledon last July. "I think so ... with the Tour Eiffel with the date of today."
Probe
As part of our undying commitment to readers, after the anglophone journalists left Alexander Zverev's press conference, the review stuck around to listen to Zverev's answers to the German media. Since we are well brought up, we raised a hand to pose a question. My, how impolite the press conference chairman was. "Questions in German only," he barked. We didn't snarl back but responded in German to say we were aware of this and the chairman was startled into silence. Zverev answered our question about his run at the tournament. "Yes I'm proud to reach the final," said the 27-year-old. "But also no. Because at the end of the day, you want to win. That's quite simple. You want to hold up a trophy and I haven't done that today."
Another day, another final, another loss
Jasmine Paolini reached the women’s singles final on Day 14 and lost to Iga Swiatek. In the women’s doubles final on Day 15, she and partner Sara Errani went down to Coco Gauff and Katrarina Siniakova. It finished 7-6, 6-3. But Paolini was as upbeat as she was after her loss to Swiatek in the singles final. “It is tough to accept the defeat,” said the 28-year-old Italian. “It's been two, almost three weeks here and they have been, of course, positive weeks, so we have to be happy with these days.”
