Alcaraz Dominates French Open Quarterfinal Over Paul \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Carlos Alcaraz easily defeated an injured Tommy Paul in the French Open quarterfinals with a 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 win. Alcaraz, the defending champion, advances to his third straight Roland-Garros semifinal. Paul, hampered by thigh and abdominal injuries, couldn’t keep pace against a flawless Alcaraz.
Quick Looks
- Alcaraz defeats No. 12 Tommy Paul in straight sets.
- Paul struggled with leg and abdominal injuries.
- Alcaraz wins 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 in 1.5 hours.
- Spaniard returns to Roland-Garros semifinals for third year.
- Alcaraz leads men’s tour with 35 wins in 2024.
- Paul led briefly in third set before fading.
- Alcaraz hit 40 winners to Paul’s 13.
- Alcaraz to face Lorenzo Musetti in semifinals.
- Paul and Tiafoe were first U.S. quarterfinalists since 2003.
- Alcaraz chasing his fifth Grand Slam title.
Deep Look
It’s hard enough facing Carlos Alcaraz at Roland-Garros under the best conditions — doing it injured is nearly impossible. That’s the reality Tommy Paul faced Tuesday night in the French Open quarterfinals, where the No. 2 seed Alcaraz rolled to a dominant 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 victory under the lights at Court Philippe-Chatrier.
The win sends the 22-year-old Spaniard into the French Open semifinals for the third consecutive year, reinforcing his position as one of the sport’s elite clay-court players. Alcaraz needed just 1 hour and 41 minutes to dismantle Paul, who entered the match with his right thigh heavily taped and visibly limited in his movement, serve, and groundstrokes.
Paul, who has been dealing with leg and abdominal muscle issues, admitted afterward that he wasn’t physically up to the challenge. “I’ve felt better, you know?” he said candidly. “Pretty early on in the match, it was pretty obvious that I wasn’t moving amazing.”
Alcaraz, on the other hand, was in peak form. “Today was one of those days where you feel everything — every shot, every movement — just clicks,” Alcaraz said. “You feel like every shot is going to be a winner. You play with confidence. No fear of anything.”
He played like it, too. The Spaniard took just 52 minutes to wrap up the first two sets, building a massive edge with a 23-5 winners advantage at that point. He finished with 40 winners to just 13 from Paul — a stark reflection of the one-sided affair.
Even during changeovers, Paul seemed overwhelmed. “He was getting up with 20 seconds left on the clock. I was like, ‘You got to slow down,’” Paul joked, referring to Alcaraz’s relentless pace.
Despite Paul briefly leading 4-3 in the third set, the outcome was never truly in doubt. Alcaraz surged back to claim the final three games, sending him through to the final four with minimal energy expended — a key strategic win during a physically demanding Grand Slam.
“At Slams, the less time you spend on court, the better,” Alcaraz said. “I can’t ask for a better performance.”
The victory improves his record to 20-1 on clay this season, and he now leads the ATP Tour with 35 match wins and three titles in 2024. He’s also the first defending men’s champion to return to the French Open semifinals since Rafael Nadal in 2021, putting him in elite company.
Next up: No. 8 seed Lorenzo Musetti, who earlier on Tuesday ousted No. 15 Frances Tiafoe in four sets. Alcaraz has a solid record against Musetti, but the Italian’s shot-making ability and flair could pose challenges.
Elsewhere in the men’s draw, the last two quarterfinal matchups are set for Wednesday: top seed Jannik Sinner faces unseeded Alexander Bublik, while No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev takes on 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic.
As for American men’s tennis, there was a historic moment despite the loss. Paul and Tiafoe became the first pair of U.S. men to reach the French Open quarterfinals in the same year since 1996, when Jim Courier and Pete Sampras did it. Paul also joined Andre Agassi (2003) as the only other American to reach the last eight in Paris in over two decades.
However, the broader trend remains troubling. Since Agassi completed his career Grand Slam in 1999 by winning the French Open, U.S. men are now 1-60 against opponents ranked in the top 10 at Roland-Garros.
Injuries aside, Paul gave credit where it was due. “He played some great tennis,” Paul said. “Returned very well. Had me on my back foot the whole time.”
For Alcaraz, the march toward a fifth major title continues. With Nadal absent and Djokovic potentially facing tough opposition, the door is open for Alcaraz to stamp his dominance on this clay-court season.
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