Carlos Alcaraz made a sensational run to the Roland Garros title this year, battling from two-sets-to-one down in both of his last two rounds, defeating Jannik Sinner in the semifinals, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, and Alexander Zverev in the final, 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.
He was the first man in the Open Era to win back-to-back five-setters in the semifinals and final of Roland Garros.
But he created even more history with his triumph in Paris.
With his first two Grand Slam titles coming at the 2022 US Open on hard courts and 2023 Wimbledon on grass, by winning 2024 Roland Garros on clay, Alcaraz—at just 21 years old—became the youngest man ever to win Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces.
The previous record belonged to Rafael Nadal, who completed his surface set of Grand Slams at 22 at the 2009 Australian Open.
Jimmy Connors was the first man to do it when he won the US Open in 1978, which was the first major played on hard. By that time he had already won three on grass (the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open in 1974) and one on clay (the US Open in 1976).
Only seven men total have ever completed the trifecta.
MEN TO WIN MAJORS ON HARD, GRASS AND CLAY (listed by age—event listed where surface set completed):
- Carlos Alcaraz, 21 [at 2024 Roland Garros]
- Rafael Nadal, 22 [at 2009 Australian Open]
- Mats Wilander, 23 [at 1988 Australian Open]
- Jimmy Connors, 26 [at 1978 US Open]
- Roger Federer, 27 [at 2009 Roland Garros]
- Novak Djokovic, 29 [at 2016 Roland Garros]
- Andre Agassi, 29 [at 1999 Roland Garros]
