‘The only area he has problems…’ – What Alexander Zverev must do to beat Carlos Alcaraz at French Open

Mischa Zverev has revealed the blueprints for how his brother Alexander Zverev can beat teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open quarter-finals.

Since saving a match point in his second-round win over Albert Ramos-Vinolas, Alcaraz has clicked into action and looks a serious contender to go all the way at Roland-Garros.

Despite being third seed, Zverev will start as the underdog against Alcaraz, who has been tipped to do huge things in the men’s game.

With that in mind, his brother Mischa has attempted to lay out a framework for how the German could topple the 19-year-old. The key? Keep him well behind the baseline.

“His [Alcaraz’s] serve is getting faster and stronger every week. You can’t push him off the baseline,” said Eurosport expert Mischa Zverev.

“As long as he is standing in the court, he wins the point 95% of the time. Within the first two metres behind the baseline, he still wins two-thirds of the points.

“The only area where he has problems is when he is more than two metres behind the baseline.

“Sascha would have to place his shots quite long on Alcaraz’s forehand side, so that Alcaraz’s hitting point is further back.

“That way, he can push him out of the court and play the next shot with the forehand down the line or cross a backhand to the other half of the court.

“For Sascha that means: don’t attack immediately with the backhand, but play the forehand first, then the backhand.”

The reward for the winner is a brutal match against either Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic.

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