Carlos Alcaraz believes his tennis is ‘getting better and better’ at the French Open after cruising into the quarter-finals on Sunday.
The third seed dropped just seven games during his 6-3, 6-3, 6-1, win over a lacklustre Felix Auger-Aliassime, who was hampered by an injury issue that occurred during the match. Alcaraz only dropped serve once against the Canadian and hit 34 winners. He has only lost one set so far in the tournament, which was in the second round against Jesper De Jong.
“My game is getting better and better. My confidence is getting higher. Every practice that I’m doing or every day that I’m here in Roland Garros, I’m feeling better and better.” Alcaraz said during his press conference.
As a result of his latest victory, Alcaraz has become only the eighth male player in the Open era to have reached the quarter-finals or better at the French Open on three separate occasions before turning 22. He is also the youngest payer to reach this stage three consecutive times since Novak Djokovic did so between 2006-2008.
However, Alcaraz is eager to improve his record in the Grand Slams. He has already won the US Open in 2022 and Wimbledon last year. In Paris, he is yet to contest a final.
“You gotta valorize reaching the quarter-finals but when I don’t win the title the feeling is always bittersweet. I’m always happy with being the champion,” journalist Jose Morgado quoted Alcaraz as saying in Spanish.
“If I’m too happy with the quarter-finals I end up being average.”
Awaiting world No.3 in the last eight will be Stefanos Tsitsipas. A former finalist who came back from a set down to beat Matteo Arnaldi 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-2, in his latest match. It will be their sixth meeting on the Tour but their first since the same stage of the tournament 12 months ago.
Alcaraz currently boasts a one-sided 5-0 head-to-head record against the Greek with three of those wins being in straight sets.
“I know that Stefanos is playing great, but I know tactically what I have to do in the match, which I’m not going to say,” he said.
“In terms of tennis, I don’t feel that I am playing better night session or day session. In terms of recovery and all that stuff, I prefer day session for sure.”
It is the 28th year in a row that at least one Spanish player has reached the last eight of the French Open.
