Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning champion, secured a hard-fought victory over Damir Dzumhur to advance to the French Open fourth round.
After a commanding start, Alcaraz faced a resurgence from Dzumhur, extending the match to a grueling four sets under the lights of Court Philippe Chatrier.
The second seed initially dominated, taking the first two sets with ease. However, Dzumhur’s tenacious comeback forced a fourth set, ultimately resulting in a 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 win for Alcaraz.
Alcaraz, aiming to become the first man since Rafael Nadal in 2020 to successfully defend the Roland Garros title, acknowledged the challenge. “I didn’t enjoy it too much,” he admitted. “I suffered quite a lot but I’m happy to have played a good match with Damir.”
He further explained, “That’s why it’s difficult to win Grand Slams because you have to maintain your focus over three or four hours. The first two sets were under control and then he decided to play deeper and more aggressive. My energy went down and it was hard to push, but I had to give everything I had inside. I’m proud to get the win in the end.”
Alcaraz will next face 13th seed Ben Shelton, who defeated Matteo Gigante earlier in the day.
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Alcaraz’s performance, while inconsistent in his previous match against Fabian Marozsan, initially appeared smoother against Dzumhur. He swiftly secured the first set in under 30 minutes, leaving his opponent visibly frustrated.
The second set followed a similar pattern. Dzumhur, despite creating break point opportunities, lacked the firepower to challenge Alcaraz significantly. A double fault from Dzumhur sealed the second set for the Spaniard.
However, errors crept into Alcaraz’s game in the third set as Dzumhur elevated his performance. After a brief injury timeout, Dzumhur secured a crucial break and ultimately clinched the set.
Dzumhur’s momentum carried into the fourth set, where he broke Alcaraz early. Despite missed opportunities, Alcaraz ultimately rallied, winning four consecutive games. Although Dzumhur briefly broke back, Alcaraz secured the final break to close out the match.
Elsewhere, Holger Rune, after a five-set battle, advanced to the fourth round, while Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe also secured wins. Arthur Fils withdrew due to injury, granting Andrey Rublev a walkover.
Rune’s victory over Halys was a comeback from two sets down, ending 4-6, 6-2, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2. He will face Lorenzo Musetti in the next round. Paul will play Alexei Popyrin, and Tiafoe will face Daniel Altmaier.
Rublev will play either Jannik Sinner or Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round.
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