Sinner also progresses

Tsitsipas reaches hit against fearsome opponent Alcaraz

Stefanos Tsitsipas

(Bild: APA/AFP/Valery HACHE)

The top tennis stars qualified for the quarter-finals of the French Open on Sunday. In the night session, Australian Open finalist Jannik Sinner from Italy defeated Sebastian Ofner's French opponent Corentin Moutet 2:6, 6:3, 6:2, 6:1 after losing the first set. The South Tyrolean, who could be the new world number 1 after Paris, will now face Grigor Dimitrov. Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas had already progressed earlier. 

The "Krone" reports from Paris

The first cracker in the men's quarter-finals at this year's French Open was decided within a few minutes. Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Matteo Arnaldi 3:6, 7:6, 6:2, 6:2 and advanced to the last eight for the fourth time in the last five years. He was followed 25 minutes later by his fearsome opponent. Unfortunately for the Greek player, Carlos Alcaraz defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime 6:3, 6:3, 6:1. The Spaniard has won all five duels with Tsitsipas so far. 

It seems to be a tournament of favorites. 12 of the 16 top seeds reached the last 16 at Roland Garros. That has only happened once in the last seven years at a Grand Slam - the French Open 2022. And with Carlos Alcaraz against Stefanos Tsitsipas, at least one quarter-final match is already a certainty.

Although the Greek will hardly be looking forward to it. He played Alcaraz five times and lost five times. Only two of those matches were close, including the one in which the Spaniard's star really rose. At the 2021 US Open, he defeated Tsitsipas in five sets in the third round as an 18-year-old.

"Hope for a greatatmosphere"
 As a result, Stefanos immediately announced: "I'll try to create chances and then make the most of them. I hope there will be a great atmosphere to help me." On the way there, Tsitsipas, who has been in strong form at this French Open so far, struggled for the first time. He was chasing a set and a break against Matteo Arnaldi, who had already eliminated Andrei Rublev, the highest seeded player in this quarter. However, he turned the second round around by saving himself in the tie-break and winning it, after which he confidently played his way to victory.

Carlos Alcaraz

(Bild: AFP/AFP or licensors)

Alcaraz got off to a slow start
Carlos Alcaraz only struggled against Felix Auger-Aliassime in the early stages, especially when it came to taking his chances. The two-time Grand Slam winner only capitalized on one of his first seven break points before ultimately taking the first set 6:3 after the eighth, and from the second set onwards he converted four out of eight. 

Despite the convincing victory in 2:20 hours, during which he once again entertained the crowd with great balls, there is still doubt as to whether his hitting arm, which is still completely bandaged, is really 100 percent resilient. After all, it was enough for him to reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the sixth time in a row. Not bad for a 21-year-old. 

"My confidence is growing day by day," said Alcaraz after making it through to the last eight. "I'll need that against Tsitsipas. I've had the key to victory against him in the past, I know what I have to do tactically."

FRENCH OPEN (Grand Slam, 53.48 million, clay)
Women - round of 16:

Iga Swiatek (POL-1) - Anastasia Potapowa (RUS) 6:0,6:0

Coco Gauff (USA-3) - Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA) 6:1,6:2

Marketa Vondrousova (CZE-5) - Olga Danilovic (SRB) 6:4,6:2

Ons Jabeur (TUN-8) - Clara Tauson (DEN) 6:4,6:4

Quarter-finals: Swiatek - Vondrousova, Gauff - Jabeur

MEN - Round of 16:

Jannik Sinner (ITA-1) - Corentin Moutet (FRA) 2:6,6:3,6:2,6:1

Carlos Alcaraz (ESP-3) - Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN-21) 6:3,6:3,6:1

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL-10) - Hubert Hurkacz (POL-8) 7:6(5),6:4,7:6(3)

Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE-9) - Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) 3:6,7:6(4),6:2,6:2

Quarter-finals: Alcaraz - Tsitsipas, Dimitrov - Sinner