Carlos Alcaraz Shares Honest Thoughts About the Sportsmanship Moment he Showed During Ben Shelton Clash at Roland Garros

Carlos Alcaraz refused the point after making contact with the ball without having the racket in his hand.

Carlos Alcaraz Shares Honest Thoughts About the Sportsmanship Moment he Showed During Ben Shelton Clash at Roland Garros

Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton (via Independent)

Carlos Alcaraz reflected on his great sportsmanship during his fourth-round win over Ben Shelton at the French Open. What looked like an incredible volley to win a point early in the second set turned out to be illegal. The Spaniard had lunged for a passing shot and let go of his racket, which still managed to send the ball back over the net.

Although the point was initially given to him, Alcaraz walked over to the umpire and admitted that he wasn’t holding the racket when it made contact. By rule, such a shot is not allowed, so he conceded the point to Shelton. The crowd at Court Philippe-Chatrier applauded Alcaraz for his honesty. Alcaraz said in his Roland Garros post-match press conference:

I just thought I couldn’t not say anything no would have felt guilty if I didn’t say anything about it. It’s just about.. if I know I did a wrong thing, an illegal shot, I have to be honest with myself. With Ben. With everyone. I think that’s the sport. It should be like this. Just to be fair with the opponent and with yourself. I said it because I knew it was an illegal shot. It shouldn’t be allowed.

The moment came at a crucial time in the match. Instead of having a game point, Alcaraz now faced break point. Shelton had his first real opening, but Alcaraz remained composed. He saved that break point and five more in the same game.

Alcaraz eventually won the 20-point game and took a two-set lead. Despite the momentary setback, he maintained his level to seal a four-set victory. The match highlighted both his skill and integrity on the court.

Carlos Alcaraz equals another clay court record

World No.2 Carlos Alcaraz overcame two battles—his opponent and his own mindset—to reach the French Open quarter-finals with a hard-fought win over Ben Shelton. He won the match 7-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The match lived up to its billing as both players delivered high-quality tennis in front of a packed Sunday crowd in Paris.

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (via X)

Alcaraz edged a tense opening set in a tie-break, then raced through the second set with dominant play. But Shelton refused to fold, taking the third set and pushing the defending champion to dig deeper. Despite flashes of brilliance from both, it was Alcaraz’s consistency that made the difference.

The Spaniard’s ability to pressure Shelton’s second serve proved crucial in the fourth set. He later admitted that managing his emotions was just as important as handling his opponent’s power. The victory marked another milestone in Alcaraz’s rise at Roland Garros.

With the win, Alcaraz became the third-youngest man in the Open Era to reach four straight French Open quarter-finals, joining legends Mats Wilander and Rafael Nadal. It was also his 75th career win against a top-20 opponent, and his 100th ATP win on clay in just 119 matches—second only to Nadal’s pace in the Open Era.

Ben Shelton takes positives from Carlos Alcaraz’s defeat

Ben Shelton believes he is narrowing the gap between himself and the world’s best players, despite falling to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open fourth round. The 22-year-old American managed to take a set off the defending champion for the first time in their three meetings. Shelton said in his post-game presser:

For me, this is the closest I have felt – just talking about Alcaraz right now – It’s the time I’ve come closest to his level, the most pressure I believe I’ve applied, the most comfortable I’ve felt in baseline exchanges, the best I’ve hit my backhand open when he pressed there. There are many positive things to take from it because, yes, I feel that my game is improving a lot.

Carlos Alcaraz Ben Shelton Roland Garros French Open 2025
Carlos Alcaraz, Ben Shelton (images via X)

Although Alcaraz was too strong overall, Shelton’s performance was a step forward. It marked the first time Shelton had reached the fourth round in Paris, making his run a personal milestone. He was also part of a record-breaking group of eight Americans to reach the round of 16.

Shelton reflected positively on his season so far. Earlier this year, he reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open, where he lost to Jannik Sinner. Despite that defeat, he feels he is steadily closing the gap on the elite.

Shelton’s head-to-head against Sinner stands at 1-5, but he remains focused on improving. As he continues to challenge top players, he believes it’s only a matter of time before the results follow.

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