Alcaraz passes 'intense' test to edge closer to Olympic singles gold
Carlos Alcaraz - the reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion - could be forgiven for feeling near-invincible on the big stage right now, particularly here at Roland Garros stadium.
But the 21-year-old Spaniard has no room for complacency, and he is perhaps right to be wary after Tommy Paul provided an ‘intense’ test during their men’s singles quarter-final on another hot and humid day at the Paris 2024 Olympic Tennis Event on Thursday.
Paul led 5-2 in the second set before Alcaraz reeled the American back in for his fourth victory in their six meetings. His 6-3 7-6(7) triumph – much like their encounter at the same stage at Wimbledon earlier this month – was one of the more significant of their burgeoning rivalry, and puts Alcaraz within two matches of Olympic singles gold.
“It was a really intense match,” said the Spaniard. “Really great match for both sides, I guess. I’m really happy with the level that I played. I fought until the last ball. The conditions were really, really tough with the heat, with the humidity.
“He played great tennis but I’m really happy to find solutions to have the mental strength to [come] back in the second set and get the win in the tie-break.”
Just as was the case at Roland Garros in June and Wimbledon in July, you sense that Alcaraz has another gear when sets – and matches – threaten to run away from him.
But that doesn’t mean he is untouchable here.
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Perhaps still raw from his doubles defeat alongside Rafael Nadal on Wednesday night – and maybe even in seeing Iga Swiatek - the queen of Roland Garros in recent years – bundled out of the draw at the semi-final stage having been a clear frontrunner for women’s singles gold, Alcaraz says he is not unbeatable, however much he thrives at this venue.
“Honestly, I like playing here at Roland Garros. I had that really great two weeks at Roland Garros, playing great, feeling great moving, hitting the ball.
“Coming here, [I’m] having the same feeling, but honestly I can lose against everybody. I have to respect every player, but [also with] the confidence to know that they [have] to play one of their best matches if they want to beat me.”
Felix Auger-Aliassime will have that task next, and the Canadian, who has a 3-3 head-to-head record against the Spaniard, might have more confidence that he can trouble Alcaraz than most.
He won their first three meetings (albeit all on a hard court) - including their only encounter in country colours in 2022, when Auger-Aliassime went on to guide his nation to their first Davis Cup title.