Alexander Zverev acknowledged that Carlos Alcaraz was a worthy champion of the French Open on Sunday, as the German experienced yet another near-miss in his quest for a first Grand Slam title. The 27-year-old Zverev, who was competing in his second major final following the 2020 US Open, was leading two sets to one before Alcaraz staged a comeback to win 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2. Zverev reflected, 'I felt like this Grand Slam final I did everything I could,' comparing it to his previous loss at the US Open where he felt he 'kind of gave it away.' Zverev, fresh from resolving a domestic abuse case in Germany, entered the Roland Garros final on a 12-match winning streak, having won in Rome the previous month. He seemed poised to clinch his first Grand Slam after coming back from 5-2 down in the third set, but Alcaraz had different plans, winning 12 of the last 15 games to claim the title, becoming the youngest man to win Grand Slams on clay, grass, and hard courts at 21. Zverev praised Alcaraz, saying, 'He played fantastic. He played better than me the fourth and fifth set. He's a beast. He's an animal, for sure. The intensity he plays tennis at is different to other people.' A pivotal moment occurred in the fifth set when Alcaraz seemed to double-fault on two break points at 2-1, but the chair umpire overruled the line judge's call, which was later confirmed by Hawkeye to be out. This decision allowed Alcaraz to hold serve and proved crucial. Zverev commented, '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. 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.'