Carlos Alcaraz, the 21-year-old Spanish tennis sensation, charged into the French Open quarter-finals for the third consecutive year with a commanding 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 victory over 21st seed Felix Auger-Aliassime on Sunday. The two-time Grand Slam champion delivered an entertaining display at Roland Garros, showcasing his exceptional skills and resilience.
The match began with an exchange of breaks, but Alcaraz soon found his rhythm. Despite missing several early opportunities to capitalize on Auger-Aliassime’s serve, Alcaraz eventually broke through with a sliding volley to secure a 5-3 lead. He then held his nerve to win the next game and take the first set.
In the second set, Alcaraz’s prowess at the net was on full display as he saved a break point at 1-2 and leveled the score after a grueling nine-minute game. He then unleashed a powerful backhand down the line to grab the lead, leaving Auger-Aliassime struggling to keep up.
Auger-Aliassime, who received medical treatment for an injury, fought valiantly but could not match Alcaraz’s intensity. The Spaniard recovered from 0-40 down, thrilling the crowd with a flicked single-handed backhand winner from deep to secure a two-set advantage.
Playing with confidence despite a recent arm injury, the world number three raced to a 5-0 lead in the third set. Alcaraz closed out the match in style, booking a quarter-final clash with ninth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Alcaraz’s dominant performance at Roland Garros reaffirms his status as a rising star in tennis and sets the stage for an exciting showdown in the last eight.