(Video) Carlos Alcaraz Shows Incredible Sportsmanship Against Ben Shelton by Refusing the Point During Roland Garros Clash

Carlos Alcaraz is looking to reach the Roland Garros quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive time in his career.

(Video) Carlos Alcaraz Shows Incredible Sportsmanship Against Ben Shelton by Refusing the Point During Roland Garros Clash

Carlos Alcaraz showed incredible sportsmanship at Roland Garros (via the Tennis Letter)

Carlos Alcaraz showed remarkable sportsmanship during his fourth-round match at the French Open against Ben Shelton. Early in the second set, Shelton fired a passing shot far out of Alcaraz’s reach at the net. In a reflex move, Alcaraz threw his racket at the ball, and it surprisingly sent the ball back over the net.

The umpire initially gave the point to Alcaraz. But the Spaniard quickly walked over to the official to confess he wasn’t holding the racket when it made contact with the ball. According to the rules, that’s not allowed, so the point was rightfully awarded to Shelton.

The crowd at Court Philippe-Chatrier applauded Alcaraz’s honesty when the umpire explained the decision. It was a rare moment of self-officiating at such a high level, earning him respect from fans and commentators alike.

That point could have been critical, as it gave Shelton his first break opportunity. Despite the pressure, Alcaraz saved that break point — and five more — before going on to win the game and eventually taking a two-set lead in the match.

Former World No.1 makes huge prediction on Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz

The rivalry between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz could shape the future of men’s tennis. Many expect their clashes to define the sport over the next decade. Former world No. 1 Mats Wilander has shared his view on how their careers might unfold. He told Tennis365:

The way I see it is I expect Carlos Alcaraz to win more Grand Slam titles than Jannik Sinner, but I expect Sinner to spend more weeks as world No 1. The reason I say this is Alcaraz is such a complete player and he has so many options every time he plays a shot. I remember Roger Federer saying, ‘yeah, of course Lleyton Hewitt will have more success than me to start with, because he is one-dimensional compared to me and doesn’t have all the shots’. Carlos is like that.
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Giovanni Pelazzo, Carlos Alcaraz)

Alcaraz holds a 7-4 advantage in head-to-head meetings with Sinner. His most recent win came in the Rome Masters final earlier this month. The 22-year-old Spaniard remains one of the few players who can regularly challenge Sinner’s powerful game.

Wilander believes Alcaraz will likely end up with more Grand Slam titles than Sinner. However, he also thinks Sinner’s simple, consistent game could earn him more success in other events. That balance could help Sinner build a lasting legacy in his own right.

History on the line for Carlos Alcaraz

Even at the age of 22, it seems like Carlos Alcaraz is playing for history every time he steps on the tennis court. Currently, he is in the process of doing that as he is taking on Ben Shelton in the Roland Garros fourth round.

Carlos Alcaraz (via X/Carlos Alcaraz Daily)
Carlos Alcaraz (via X/Carlos Alcaraz Daily)

In this year’s French Open, Alcaraz is bidding to become the first player since Bjorn Borg to defend titles at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. This is something that no members of the Big 3 were able to achieve.

Alcaraz defended his Wimbledon title last year with a straight-set demolition of Novak Djokovic in the final. Now, he enters this year’s Roland Garros as the defending champion after a five-set final win against Alexander Zverev last season.

Alcaraz comes into this tournament as the oddsmakers’ favorite. The Spaniard had won Masters 1000 titles in Monte Carlo and Rome. These title wins completed the set of the Clay Slam (Roland Garros and all Masters 1000 titles on clay).

Also Read: Jannik Sinner Shares Insightful Solution to the Women’s Scheduling Debate at Roland Garros