I had to win that game to see how Jannik would react," Alcaraz reflects on saving three match points in the Roland-Garros final
Winner of his second Roland-Garros title, Carlos Alcaraz narrowly avoided defeat in the final when he saved three match points on his serve in the fourth set.
Invited on the France TV set after his triumph, the world No. 2 explained what made the difference in staying alive during that moment:
"I didn’t give up. I kept fighting. I had to win that game no matter what it took. I had to battle and push through. I played point by point and tried to believe in myself. I needed to win that game to see how Jannik would handle that moment.
When you lose match points, and your opponent fends them off on their serve, it’s not easy to close out the match. It also happened to me in the fifth set. So I had to fight, keep believing, and most importantly, not fear defeat.
French Open 
Davis Cup: between reforms, criticism and national culture 
When tennis stars change courts: from Noah the singer to Safin the deputy, another match – the battle of reinvention 
As a laboratory for tomorrow’s tennis, does the Next Gen Masters have a future? 
Tennis: the little-known truths about the offseason, between rest, stress and physical survival 