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Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek face challenging opponents in the fourth round of the French Open. Alcaraz plays Ben Shelton, while Swiatek takes on Elena Rybakina, setting the stage for thrilling encounters.
Reigning Roland Garros champion Carlos Alcaraz will take on big-serving 13th seed Ben Shelton for a place in the French Open quarter-finals on Sunday, as four-time women's title holder Iga Swiatek prepares to battle former Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina.
All Eyes on Alcaraz, Rune, and Musetti
Alcaraz has won both of his previous meetings with Shelton in straight sets, but the Spaniard has shown signs of fragility at Roland Garros this year, dropping sets in each of his last two matches.
In his second-round win over Fabian Marozsan, Alcaraz admitted he "couldn't handle" the Hungarian’s level at times, losing the second set 6-4. After his third-round victory over Damir Dzumhur on Friday, the former world number one confessed: "Today I honestly didn't enjoy it that much. I suffered quite a lot."
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However, the four-time Grand Slam winner has proven he can battle through tough spells and boasts a strong clay-court record this year, losing only once in the final at Barcelona, while securing titles in Monte Carlo and Rome.
Shelton on facing Alcaraz
Shelton, meanwhile, is excited about the challenge. "Playing the defending champion, round of 16... centre court, that's a pretty cool opportunity, pretty cool experience that not a lot of people get or see in their lifetime," said the American.
"For me, I'm definitely going to enjoy it and go out there and see what I can do, because I'm starting to see some of my best tennis. I like to think of myself as dangerous whenever I get to that place."
Lorenzo Musetti, who has reached at least the semifinals in all clay-court Masters events this season, will take on Barcelona Open winner Holger Rune. The architect of Alcaraz’s only clay loss this season, Rune, beat the defending champion in straight sets in Catalonia. But the Dane, seeded 10th, has had an up-and-down Roland Garros so far, losing the first set in two of his three matches.
Rune previews Musetti's clash with Navone
Musetti, too, showed vulnerability, dropping his first set of the tournament in the last round against Argentinian Mariano Navone. Rune previewed their clash: "I think, again, as he (Musetti) said, he can't afford to give me the first set, and the same me, I can't afford to give him the first set like this. (I'm) Looking forward to that match, it's going to be hopefully a great battle."
Two more Americans will also be in action: 12th seed Tommy Paul plays Australian Alexei Popyrin, while 16th-ranked Frances Tiafoe faces Germany's Daniel Altmaier.
Poker-face Swiatek Braces for Rybakina
Triple-defending champion Iga Swiatek will meet the lesser of two evils when she takes on 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, who defeated Jelena Ostapenko in the previous round. Ostapenko, notably, holds a 6-0 record over Swiatek.
"Both matches are going to be a challenge. But let's see who wins," said Swiatek before knowing her opponent. When asked if she preferred facing Rybakina or Ostapenko, she quipped: "No... Am I a good liar? Let's say it doesn't matter, really. Oh, my God. I couldn't play poker."
Though Swiatek’s record against Rybakina stands at 4-4, the Kazakh has won both encounters this season. Their last meeting on clay was in Stuttgart 2024, where Rybakina triumphed in three sets.
Other Women’s Matches to Watch
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka, who has dropped just 10 games en route to the fourth round, will face her first-seeded opponent, Amanda Anisimova, a past semifinalist. If Sabalenka advances, she could meet Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the quarter-finals—a rematch opportunity after her surprise defeat to Mirra Andreeva last year.
Zheng, the Chinese eighth seed, will face 18th-ranked Russian Liudmila Samsonova.
Fourth seed Jasmine Paolini, last year’s runner-up and current Italian Open champion, will open proceedings on Court Philippe Chatrier against four-time quarterfinalist Elina Svitolina.
