"A fifth set can go the other way": Alexander Zverev laments 'frustrating' line call error in Roland Garros final

A crucial error that seemed to cost Alexander Zverev in the end took place during his Roland Garros final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday at the French Open as he lost in five sets in a game that could've turned the opposite direction.

Zverev tried to recover from a break down trailing 2-1 in the fifth set. Alcaraz faulted and served again but it looked to be out. Albeit umpire Renaud Lichtenstein decided otherwise. The hawkeye revealed that Zverev after the fact was indeed correct. He would've broken back and leveled the score at 2-2 from there.

Zverev's game fell apart in the mean time with Alcaraz consolidating the break and eventually winning the fifth set en route to sealing the title. Zverev was asked about the issue after he lost the final to Alcaraz and he termed it 'frustrating'. Albeit whilst saying that, he refused to criticise the umpire saying that everyone is human and makes mistakes. Albeit of course, it is a kick in the teeth for Zverev who himself said it could've been a different game had he got the call in his direction.

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He heads back to Germany without winning a maiden Grand Slam title and plays immediately on grass this week in Stuttgart. Alcaraz on the otherhand is unlikely to be seen until Queen's at the earliest. He will likely defend that title during the second week of the grass court season and will take this week to rest, recover and start grass court training.

"There's a difference whether you're down 3-1 in the fifth set or you're back to 2-2… that's the deciding difference. So yeah… it's frustrating in the end," said Zverev to reporters.

"But it is what it is, umpires make mistakes, they're also human and that’s okay. But of course, in a situation like that, you wish there wouldn't be mistakes."

"I heard that at 2-1, the second serve was out from the Hawkeye data, I saw that. You know, I break back there, I have chances than in the next service game, a fifth set can go the other way."

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Afriyie 👓

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Zverev robbed big time. This right here changed the whole match. Makes me sick to my stomach.

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