ROLAND GARROS

June 9, 2024

Alexander Zverev

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/A. Zverev

6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Tough luck today. Can you sort of compare the experience of this Grand Slam final with the last one and how you're feeling now compared with that loss? Do you sense you've made a good bit of progress?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, I mean, I feel like I did everything I could today. The fifth set, [expletive], there was some unlucky moments. I heard that at 2-1 the second serve was out. From the Hawk-Eye data, I saw that. I break back there, I have break chances, and then in the next service game, a fifth set can go the other way.

But it is what it is. Look, he played fantastic. He played better than me the fourth and fifth set. It's how it is.

I felt like this Grand Slam final I did everything I could. At the US Open I kind of gave it away myself. It's a bit different.

Q. In the fourth set, did you hit the wall a little bit physically? Did you feel any of your energy levels dropping?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, I lost focus, and on my serve I didn't get the power from my legs anymore, which is weird. Because normally I do not get tired. I don't cramp, I don't get tired normally.

But again, against Carlos it's a different intensity, so maybe that was the case a bit. Yeah, maybe I have to look at my preparation. Maybe I have to look at how I do things on a physical base as well.

Of course, look, I felt from the tennis level I was playing decent and he was playing decent for three sets. Then I dropped a lot.

Q. You mentioned that the second serve at 2-1, I think it was, how frustrating is it that there won't be electronic line calling here until next year? Otherwise if this was next year you'd have won that game. I know it's probably not much consolation. Did it distract you at all in the coming points or were you able to put it out of your mind?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, look, there's a difference whether you're down 3-1 in the fifth set or you're back to 2-All. That's a deciding difference.

Yeah, it's frustrating in the end, but it is what it is. Umpires make mistakes. They're also human, and that's okay.

But of course in a situation like that, you wish there wouldn't be mistakes.

Q. Tough result. I just wondered what next week will hold for you. How do you start to move on from this? Will you watch any tennis? Do you just cut yourself off? What does next week hold, do you think?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, right this second I'm still in the draw in Stuttgart (smiling).

Q. Are you going to play that?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: We will strongly see about that (smiling).

Q. And if you don't, what do you think you'll do instead?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, look, I don't know yet. The chances of me playing Stuttgart are close to the chances of me going back out there and winning the final now, sort of like repeating the time. But we'll see.

I have a thing with FlowBank tomorrow in Switzerland that I'll go to, and then I'll probably fly to Berlin, because I have, you know, a very important person I want to see there, which I always do after tournaments. Then we'll see.

Q. I guess you may be in favor of electronic calls in the future.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: After today?

Q. On clay. But apart from that, how do you explain Alcaraz won 11 times out of 12 when he plays the fifth set?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I had a similar statistic before today here in the French Open.

Q. 23 to 11.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: No, at the French Open. I think I was like 10 and 1 or something like that.

Q. Okay.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: We're both physically strong, but he's a beast. He's an animal, for sure. The intensity he plays tennis at is different to other people. You know, he can do so many different things, right?

I think he changed his tactic a lot in the fifth set, started to play a lot higher, a lot deeper for me to not create as much power. Especially with the shadows on the court, it was slower again. But he's a fantastic player, and physically he's fantastic.

So, you know, I have to look at myself and I have to look at the team that I have and see, you know, what I can do to become at the same level.