"I always wanted to win Roland-Garros," Alcaraz reminisces about his title in Paris in 2024
Carlos Alcaraz gained a lot of confidence during the clay season. The Spaniard won the Masters 1000 in Monte-Carlo and Rome and also reached the final of the ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona, where he injured his hamstrings before withdrawing from Madrid.
As the defending champion at Roland-Garros, the world number 2 is asserting himself as the main favorite for his own succession in Paris. In an interview with the official Roland-Garros website, Alcaraz reflected on his connection to this tournament and his victory last year against Alexander Zverev.
"Roland-Garros holds a very special place for me. Of course, I've seen many Spanish players perform there, including Rafa (Nadal). As a child, I remember rushing home from school to turn on the television and wanting only one thing: to spend the afternoon watching matches.
When I was 11, I played a tournament at Roland-Garros for the first time. Then, we could go watch matches and if I'm not mistaken, the first player I saw was Richard Gasquet. I remember thinking: ‘One day, I'll be there. One day, I'll play here.’
A few years later, in the qualifiers, I lost in the first round (in 2020 against Vukic). I came back, played the qualifiers once more, and had the chance to enter the main draw.
After that, I gained experience, lived unforgettable moments on the court, and last year, the final victory. It was incredible, a dream come true. I always wanted to win Roland-Garros.
Since then, I’ve had the time to realize that I won this tournament. Returning to Paris is incredible, especially now that I have all these memories coming back to me," described Alcaraz.
French Open 
