PARIS — Facing off against Carlos Alcaraz at the French Open is a monumental challenge for any player. When you’re not fully fit, like Tommy Paul was in Tuesday night’s quarterfinals, the task becomes nearly impossible.
The No. 2 seed, Alcaraz, showcased his dominance with a swift 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 victory over the 12th-seeded Paul, who struggled with a heavily taped right thigh that hampered his movement, service, and groundstrokes.
“I haven’t felt my best,” admitted Paul, who dealt with leg and abdominal issues throughout the tournament. “Of course, I stepped onto the court wanting to win. But it quickly became evident I wasn’t moving well at all.”
Alcaraz’s exceptional form certainly didn’t make it easier for Paul.
“It was just one of those days where I felt invincible,” shared Alcaraz. “Every shot felt like it was destined for greatness. I played with immense confidence and without fear.”
In just 52 minutes, Alcaraz clinched the opening two sets.
The brilliant 22-year-old amassed a whopping 23-5 advantage in winners during that period, finishing with totals of 40-13.
“He played sensational tennis, returning with precision and keeping me on the defensive,” Paul remarked. “It felt like he was ready to serve before I was even settled during changeovers.”
As the third set unfolded, intensity ramped up with Paul taking a 4-3 lead, prompting chants of his name from the audience at Court Philippe-Chatrier. However, Alcaraz swiftly turned the tide, winning the next three games to secure victory in just over 90 minutes.
“In Grand Slams, conserving energy for subsequent matches is crucial,” said Alcaraz, who is eyeing his fifth major title. “I couldn’t ask for a better performance.”
He becomes the first defending men’s champion to reach the semifinals the following year since the legendary Rafael Nadal in 2021.
With an impressive 20-1 record on red clay this season, Alcaraz leads the men’s tour with 35 wins and three titles.
In the semifinals, Alcaraz will face No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti, who triumphed over No. 15 Frances Tiafoe in four sets. The final men’s quarterfinals are set for Wednesday: No. 1 Jannik Sinner against unseeded Alexander Bublik, and No. 3 Alexander Zverev facing off against 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic.
Notably, Paul and Tiafoe became the first American men to reach the quarterfinals at Roland-Garros since Andre Agassi in 2003, and the first duo to do so in the same year since Jim Courier and Pete Sampras in 1996.
Since Agassi completed his career Grand Slam with a French Open victory in 1999, U.S. men now have a dismal 1-60 record against top-10 opponents at this clay-court tournament.
