Carlos Alcaraz put on a show at Roland Garros this year. The 22-year-old played fearless tennis to lift his fifth Grand Slam title, battling past Jannik Sinner in a final that felt more like a movie than a match. Down two sets and facing triple match point, Alcaraz clawed his way back to win 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), and 7-6 (10-2). That’s the kind of fight that turns champions into legends.  His clay season has been nothing short of dominant. Alcaraz posted a 22-1 record on the surface this year, with titles at Monte Carlo, Rome, and now Roland Garros. The lone loss came in the Barcelona final, where Holger Rune stopped him. By contrast, Alexander Zverev’s clay campaign wasn’t quite as sparkling. Which is probably why an ATP legend had contrasting reactions.

The German finished with an 18-7 record and picked up a title in Munich. But he couldn’t go the distance in Paris, falling to Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals. Zverev had a big chance to make a move this season. With Jannik Sinner sidelined due to a three-month doping ban, the door opened for someone else to take control. At the start of the year, Zverev had made the final of the Australian Open, losing to Sinner but closing the rankings gap to just under 2,700 points.

That strong start didn’t carry over, though. Apart from Munich, Zverev hasn’t had a big breakthrough moment this year. Alcaraz, on the other hand, found his rhythm just in time to storm past him in the rankings and reclaim the No. 2 spot in the world.

One man who definitely took notice was Boris Becker. The seven-time Grand Slam champion was full of praise for Alcaraz after his wild win in Paris. Speaking to Eurosport, the 58-year-old said, “The variation, with the power, with the feeling of the ball—I don’t know any player in the history of tennis who has this combination.” He didn’t stop there. “He is a genius for me,” Becker added. “If he is challenged, tickled, if he is motivated, then he finds another level that no player in the world has.”

While the Spaniard received glowing compliments, Zverev got the opposite treatment from Becker and fellow German tennis figure Barbara Rittner. They didn’t hold back about what they think is holding him back. Their biggest critique? Team Zverev.

From their point of view, if the 28-year-old wants to win a Slam, he needs to make a coaching change. Specifically, he should consider parting ways with his father, Zverev Sr., and brother Mischa, who have been long-time fixtures in his box. “He [Zverev] is the one who decides. He is the chairman of the board, the CEO. He decides what Team Zverev will look like in the future. His father and brother did an excellent job, but it wasn’t good enough for the final step,” said Becker.

Zverev didn’t take the criticism lightly. Before starting his grass campaign in Stuttgart, he responded during a press conference. The world No. 3 said, “When things are going well for me, I always do everything right. When things are going badly for me, everyone else is very, very clever. Unfortunately, Boris is one of them, and so is Barbara Rittner.”

He also addressed the way his French Open ended. “I lost to Djokovic. Not to Hans-Peter, who is ranked 250th in the world. Sure, it’s bitter for me. I really wanted to win the French Open and go far. But it happened the way it did, and we’ll keep looking at how we can improve my game,” Zverev said.

Now, both men turn the page and set their sights on the grass season.

Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev warm up for Wimbledon

Carlos Alcaraz will look to defend his Wimbledon crown for a third straight year. Alexander Zverev will continue chasing that elusive Slam, this time hoping the surface shift works in his favor.

Alcaraz has used Queen’s Club as his grass warm-up since 2023, the year he won the event. He followed that up by winning Wimbledon. Last year, his winning streak at Queen’s came to an end in the next match. Jack Draper, backed by a fired-up British crowd, took him down 7-6, 6-3, handing Alcaraz his first career loss at the tournament. However, he still lifted the Wimbledon trophy by defeating Novak Djokovic. But this year might be different. After his marathon French Open final that lasted five hours and 29 minutes, his team is taking a careful approach to recovery. That’s put his Queen’s Club participation in doubt.

Zverev, meanwhile, is returning to Stuttgart for the first time since 2019. The 28-year-old has won 24 titles at the tour level, but none of them have come on grass. He’ll open his campaign against Corentin Moutet in the first round.

Last year at Wimbledon, Zverev made it to the fourth round before Taylor Fritz staged a comeback win from two sets down. In eight career appearances at the All England Club, Zverev has never gone further than that.

As Alcaraz aims to stay on his throne and Zverev hunts for his breakthrough, the grass season promises fresh drama. Will Zverev finally rise on grass, or will Alcaraz continue his Grand Slam spree?