French Open 2023: Is Alcaraz ready for Tsitsipas confrontation? World No.1 speaks up
The 20-year-old could face a tough challenge against his quarterfinal opponent Stefanos Tsitsipas and a win against the Greek will take Alcaraz into the semi-final where he could potentially meet Novak Djokovic.
FollowCarlos Alcaraz hammered Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 on Sunday to advance to the quarter-finals of the French Open. Alcaraz will have his toughest test in the final eight when he faces the greek, Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The 20-year-old could face a tough test, his quarterfinal opponent will be No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas, a two-time major runner-up who advanced by beating qualifier Sebastian Ofner 7-5, 6-3, 6-0.
A win against the Greek will take Alcaraz into the semifinal against Novak Djokovic. The Serbian tennis star reached the French Open quarterfinals for the record 17th time, after a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win over Juan Pablo Varillas.
“I think I played at such a great level. A really high quality of shots, playing really aggressively. I think I played a really complete match, [from the] first ball to the last one, and I’m really happy to get through this really tough round against Lorenzo,” Alcaraz was quoted as saying in an on-court interview.
Alcaraz is currently maintaining his position as the No.1 player in the ATP rankings. Novak Djokovic, after his victory over Lorenzo Sonego earlier in the day, has an opportunity to overthrow Alcaraz and claim the top spot. Nevertheless, the Spanish star has expressed his intention to avoid dwelling on the No.1 ranking and instead remains focused on upcoming challenges.
“I try not to think about the No. 1 spot, I am one of the main favourites to win the tournament. I try to put all those thoughts outside my mind,” he stated.
“I just try to play tennis, to enjoy, and try to smile all the time. This is the key for everything for me, trying to enjoy, trying to make impossible shots, trying to make the people enjoy watching the tennis. This is all I think about during the match,” Alcaraz added.
"If I play against Tsitsipas, it will be a great match, as you know we have played some great matches and I've won every match that we've played but it doesn't mean I am going to win every match. I have to be really focused because he is a tough opponent. His (Tsitsipas) game suits my playing style and I will need to play well to win against him.
Alcaraz has a clear advantage in the head-to-head record against Tsitsipas. He has a 4-0 lead in the head-to-head record. Just a month and a half ago, the Spaniard defeated the Stefanos 6-3, 6-4 in the Barcelona final and will be looking to replicate the same kind of performance in this all-important quarter-final encounter.
