Carlos Alcaraz claimed the French Open title for the first time as he beat Alexander Zverev 6-3 2-6 5-7 1-6 6-2 on Sunday. (Full Coverage | Tennis News)
Alcaraz was staring down the barrel of a defeat when Zverev emphatically came back from conceding an early break of serve to take the third set and a 2-1 lead.
Yet the Spaniard turned on the style in the fourth, needing just 41 minutes to take the set and tee up a decider.
Alcaraz grabbed the first, crucial break, and then clawed back four break points to hold onto that advantage.
A second break followed in game seven, paving the way for Alcaraz to win his third grand slam title when he sent a brilliant shot into the corner.
Neither player started confidently as the first set began with back-to-back breaks of serve, but it was Alcaraz who took an error-strewn opener, slamming a powerful forehand past Zverev on set point.
A downcast Zverev shouted at his box as the mistakes continued at the start of the second set, but a lengthy hold was the catalyst for a sudden upturn as his aggression and power began to overwhelm Alcaraz on the longer rallies.
The German took five straight games to level things up, even drawing applause from Alcaraz with a flicked backhand winner at the net, one of the shots of the tournament.
Alcaraz initially came on strong in the third set, breaking to love in the fifth game courtesy of some expert play at the net, but Zverev roared back to inch ahead, converting his second set point with an overhead smash.
The momentum switched yet again in the fourth as Alcaraz rediscovered his groove either side of a medical timeout for treatment on his left leg, Zverev's consistency tailing off as he only won 46 per cent of points behind his first serve.
Alcaraz did not let it slip from there, breaking Zverev in game three of the decider, before brilliantly saving four break points himself in the very next game.
With Zverev's resolve broken, Alcaraz duly served out, etching his name on the French Open trophy alongside legendary compatriot Rafael Nadal.
Data Debrief: He's a superstar
Alcaraz, aged 21 years and 35 days, is the second-youngest player in the Open Era to win all his first three Major finals, after Bjorn Borg (20 years and 27 days).
He is also the youngest player in the Open Era to win the singles title at three different grand slams, with the Australian Open the only one missing from the set.
Alcaraz has taken the fewest main draw appearances of any player in the Open Era to win titles on grass, clay and hard courts, and is the youngest player to win majors on clay, grass and hard court, surpassing Nadal.
Record-champion Nadal may well have made his farewell Roland-Garros appearance, but the future of tennis is in safe hands with his heir apparent.
