Displeased Carlos Alcaraz says Chatrier more like a "hard court" during Roland Garros final

Carlos Alcaraz had his reasons for being upset Sunday evening on Court Philippe Chatrier.

He had just seen his 5-2 lead in the third set of his Roland Garros final with Alexander Zverev turn to 5-6 after failing to serve it out. Alcaraz was unquestionably feeling the pressure coming from the other side of the net, as the German wasn’t missing much in putting the set on his racquet.

That wasn’t all that rattled Alcaraz. The 21-year-old was displeased with the playing surface, and during the final changeover, Alcaraz let chair umpire Renaud Lichtenstein know just how he felt the red clay was being managed.

“Do you think it’s normal? We are playing a final of a Grand Slam on clay court, but it seems like it’s hard court,” Alcaraz declared.

“It’s unbelievable. It’s unbelievable. Unbelievable.”

Zverev served it out to move ahead for the first time. Alcaraz then bounced back by racing out to the first four games of the fourth set—and forced a decider by clinching it 6-1.