Alcaraz has been widely tipped as one of the successors to the reigns of Nadal, Djokovic and Roger Federer at the top of men’s tennis since he broke onto the scene as a teenager.
He is comfortably living up to that mantle.
Sunday will see the first new winner of the title since Djokovic in 2016, and it will be the first showpiece match in Paris with two first-time finalists since Nadal won his maiden crown against Mariano Puerta in 2005.
Alcaraz has won both of his previous Slam finals — one more and he will be the youngest man to win major events on clay, grass and hard courts.
Victory over Zverev would leave the Spanish sensation heading to the Australian Open next year with the chance to complete the career Grand Slam at a younger age than Federer was when he won his first Slam event.
“I always wanted to be one of the best players in the world,” he said.
“If I want to be one of the best players in the world, I have to be a good player in every surface, like Roger did, Novak, Rafa, (Andy) Murray. The best players in the world had success in every surface.
“So, I consider myself a player who adapts very well his style in every surface. And, well, I grew up playing on clay, but I feel more comfortable playing on hard court, for example.
“I think my game suits very well to the clay, to clay season, to the clay court, as well.”
Zverev was once regarded as the biggest threat to the dominance of Nadal, Djokovic and Federer, but is now 27 and still chasing a maiden Grand Slam title.
The world number four is into his first major final since an agonizing defeat by Dominic Thiem at the 2020 US Open, when he led by two sets and a break before falling apart.
“I was not ready then to win my first Grand Slam final,” said Zverev, who has also lost in six Slam semi-finals.
“I’m definitely not a kid anymore, I’m a little older. If not now, then when?”
The German arrived at the tournament under the cloud of a court case in Berlin over allegations he assaulted an ex-girlfriend.
The case was dropped after a settlement was agreed hours before his semi-final win over Casper Ruud, who was struggling with illness.
He was accused of “briefly” choking former partner Brenda Patee “with both hands” in May 2020, according to the court.
As part of the settlement, Zverev had agreed to pay 200,000 euros ($217,000), with most of it going into state coffers and the remainder to a fund for charitable organizations, a court spokeswoman said.
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