Carlos Alcaraz Becomes Youngest Man To Reach A Major Final On ...

TOPSHOT - Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after a point as he plays against Italy's Jannik Sinner ... [+] during their men's singles semi final match on Court Philippe-Chatrier on day thirteen of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros Complex in Paris on June 7, 2024. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP) (Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Jannik Sinner may be the new world No. 1 in men’s tennis, but Carlos Alcaraz is the one making the most history at the moment.

The 21-year-old No. 3 seed became the youngest man to reach a major final on all three surfaces — clay, grass and hard courts — with his 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Sinner in the Roland Garros semifinals.

Alcaraz, who won Wimbledon in 2023 and the U.S. Open in 2022, will meet either No. 4 Alexander Zverev or No. 7 Casper Ruud in Sunday’s final.

The winner will walk away with $2,563,788.

“You have to find the joy suffering,” Alcaraz said after his win against Sinner, who won two more points than the Spaniard in the match (147-145). “That is the key, even more here on clay at Roland Garros. Long rallies, four-hour matches, five sets. You have to fight, you have to suffer but as I told my team, you have to enjoy suffering.”

Alcaraz missed Rome last month due to a right forearm injury but has looked good on the clay in Paris. The Spaniard, who beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets in the quarterfinals, has dropped just three sets in the French capital.

The win snapped a 12-match winning streak in majors for Sinner, who will ascend to world No. 1 on Monday after Novak Djokovic withdrew from the tournament with a torn meniscus, for which he had surgery on Wednesday.

TOPSHOT - Italy's Jannik Sinner plays a forehand return to Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their men's ... [+] singles semi final match on Court Philippe-Chatrier on day thirteen of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros Complex in Paris on June 7, 2024. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP) (Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images)

A year ago, Alcaraz cramped badly against Djokovic in the semifinals and was unable to compete at a high level across the final two sets.

This time around, Alcaraz wore kinesiology tape on his sides and did not appear right physically to start the match.

In the opening set, Sinner earned a double-break for 4-0 and then earned a third break for 5-2 when Alcaraz slapped a forehand wide.

After appearing to have some physical issues in the second set, Sinner rebounded to take the third.

But Alcaraz stormed back, taking the fourth set and earning an early break in the fifth.

Leading 3-0 in the fifth, his physio, Juanjo Moreno, gave a little bottle of pickle juice to one of the ball boys to bring to Alcaraz, according to Relevo.com.

"They are small bottles with pickle juice, more salts and vitamins, he takes it as a prevention of possible cramps,” his team told Relevo.

After trailing 0-30 on his serve, Alcaraz held for a 4-2 lead.

He broke Sinner to win it and advance to the final.

“I saw him struggling a little bit in the [third set], but I was cramping as well in the third set," Alcaraz said. "I learned from last year's match against Djokovic and was in the same position today. But I learned you have to be calm, to keep going because the cramp is going to go away. You have to fight. The third set was a little bit weird but the fourth set and fifth set were great points. [We played] great tennis and I am really happy with everything that I have done today, waiting for my moments."