ATP
Roland Garros Men’s Day 8
Top title contenders Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz kept on pace as both stormed into the second week of the French Open on Sunday with identical straight-set wins.
Third seed Djokovic wrote another record with a 17th quarter-final here as the Serb smothered Peruvian outsider Juan Pablo Varillas 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 on Sunday to take his place in the second week.
Alcaraz, 20, the top-seeded world No. 1, dispatched Italian threat Lorenzo Musetti by an identical scoreline, reaching the quarter-finals in just over two hours.
“I played at such a great leve,” the Spaniard said. “I had high quality shots. My game was working well and I really played aggressive.
“I played a complete match from the first ball to the last, I’m happy to get through a really rough round..
Alcaraz will take a flawless 4-0 record into his next match against Stefanos Tsistsipas after the Greek ended the dream run of Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner 7-5, 6-3, 6-0 in one and three-quarter hours.
The Spaniard has defeated Tsitsipas twice on clay at Barcelona.
The 36-year-old Djokovic has now reached a career total of 55 quarter-finals at the majors.
His opponent Varillas is the first Peruvian man to get this far here since Jaime Yzaga in 1994.
Djokovic also polished his record against opponents outside the Top 50 to a comfortable 46-1,
The two-time Paris trophyholder was ruthless with his 94th-ranked opponent in a rout lasting less than two hours.
The third seed notched 35 winners and broke on six of his 12 chances to set up a quarter-final with Karen Khachanov.
“It’s my best performance in the tournament so far and it came exactly at the right time,” Djokovic said.
“I’m proud of it (quarter-final record), but my attention is already on the next match.
“Quarterfinals, Khachanov… I know what my goal is here. I’m trying to stay mentally the course and of course not look too far.
“The performance of today gives me a great deal of confidence about how I felt, about how I played.”
Djokovic is bidding for more history as he chases a record 23rd Grand Slam singles title and his third in Paris. Should that scenario come good, he would return to the top of the ATP rankings.
The Serb’s recent elbow and other unspecified physical problems seem to be under control.
“I’m definitely (playing) better than in the last couple of months,.
“The past 10 days have been the best that I have felt since the Australian Open, so that’s good. That’s positive news.
“I just have to keep going and not allow myself to think too far, but I’m on a good path.”
Next round opponent Khachanov returned to the Paris quarters for the first time since 2019 with a 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7), 6-1 win over Lorenzo Sonego.
The semi-finalist at his last two majors in New York and Melbourne said he had to regroup in order to turn the match around after dropping the opening set.
“After the first set and a half, I was thinking, what am I doing here, he was hitting all over the place so I decided all I could do was fight,” he said.
“I like best of five sets, I’m more prepared mentally and physically/
“It makes me feel strong to know that even if I’m down a set and a half, the opponent still has to win three sets.”
Holger Rune battled past injured Carlos Alcaraz to spoil the Spanish Easter party at the Barcelona Open, with the Dane lifting the trophy 7-6 (6), 6-2.
The pair of 21-year-olds were familiar foes, having played 20 times in juniors before hitting the Tour; Rune won the first 500 series title of his career and his fifth overall.
Alcaraz was treated three times in the second set after an apparent injury to his upper right thigh/groin after duelling hard in the opening set at the Real Club.
The loss will send Alcaraz back to third in the rankings, with Alexander Zverev moving back to second behind Jannik Sinner as a result of winning the Munich title on Sunday.
Rune, a first-round victim last week in Monte Carlo, reversed his clay momentum in Spain, handing Alcaraz a first loss of a set for the week.
The Spanish top seed’s two final shots both clipped the top of the net and fell back as Rune raised his hands in celebration after 97 minutes on court in the Catalan capital.
“This means the world,” the winner said. “I started the match stressed, he was playing big-time tennis.
“I was able to find my rhythm after he broke me (3-2 in the opening set) and I got more into the match.
“The first set was a big battle with a lot of important points. It was super-important to win the set and gain momentum.
“I’m so proud of myself.”
Rune ended with 18 winners while the ailing Alcaraz produced 33 unforced errors. The Dane claimed his 50th match win on clay and levelled his Tour record in the series to 2-2.
Rune said he channeled Novak Djokovic’s Paris Olympic gold medal win from last summer over Alcaraz as he struggled to turn his game around in Barcelona.
“I asked myself what Novak did to win that final. I (realised) that I didn’t need to hit every ball on the line. I need to make him play and hit a lot of balls.”
Rune, who won the elite Paris Bercy Masters 1000 title in 2022, finally began reversing a 13-match loss streak against top five opponents.with his title victory.
Alcaraz may be racing for fitness with the Madrid Masters starting on Wednesday as the ATP ploughs ahead with an unpopular two-week format for Masters tournaments despite growing protest from exhausted players.
Main photo:- Holger Rune celebrates Barcelona win – by ATPTour.com
Alexander Zverev turned 28 on Sunday and awarded himself a third title on his home Munich clay as he beat Ben Shelton 6-2,6-4 to win the ATP event.
The 2017 and 2018 champion here is now threatening Carlos Alcaraz as the pair duel for the world No. 2 position which the Spaniard took over last week after winning Monte Carlo.
Zverev schooled lefthander Shelton in 70 minutes for a second win in their series. The winner becomes the second to hold three Munich titles after countryman Philipp Kohlschreiber (2007, 2012, 2016).
“I’m enjoying my birthday so far,” Zverev said. “It’s extremely special to win in Germany, the most special thing I can do.
January’s Australian Open finalist added: “It’s definitely a great birthday present, I knew I had to play my best today, conditions were very hot and very fast.They were perfect for me.”
The winner broke three times while never facing a challenge to his serve from Shelton as he claimed a sixth career title at the 500-Tour level.
Main photo:- Alexander Zverev with his “birthday” trophy – by BMW Open/Bitpanda
Alexander Zverev gave fans in Munich what they were after as the top seed rolled into the final of the clay ATP in Bavaria with a 7-6 (3), 6-3 defeat of Fabian Marozsan.
World No. 3 Zverev, who won the titles in 2017 and 2018 needed 91 minutes to advance into a title match with Ben Shelton.
The American earned his spot with a .2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4 defeat of Argentine Francisco Cerundolo.
Zverev advanced with nine aces and broke twice in the tidy win over his Hungarian opposition.
“It’s awesome. The entire week has been great. Everybody is really enjoying the weather as well as the new Center Court,” the winner said. .
“I’m enjoying myself and hopefully I will have another great day tomorrow.”
Shelton reached his fourth career final, becoming the first American man to reach a clay final above ATP 250 level since Andre Agassi won the Rome Masters 23 years ago.
“It’s a big win for me. To get a win on clay against a guy like him gives me a lot of confidence,” Shelton.
“I’m really happy and excited to be in a 500-level final in Europe, my second clay-court tournament this season.
“I’ve been playing well this week and I’m not too stressed right now.”
Main photo:-Alexander Zverev winning in front of his home crowd – by ATPTour.com
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Rune rises to the occasion with defeat of Alcaraz
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