Carlos Alcaraz Recalls Matches Against Tommy Paul and Expects ‘Tough’ Roland Garros Quarterfinal

Carlos Alcaraz has a 6-2 head-to-head lead over Tommy Paul, who reached the French Open quarterfinal for the first time.

Carlos Alcaraz Recalls Matches Against Tommy Paul and Expects ‘Tough’ Roland Garros Quarterfinal

Carlos Alcaraz, Tommy Paul (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz.4K, The Tennis Letter)

Carlos Alcaraz clinched an entertaining 7-6(8), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 Roland Garros fourth round win over Ben Shelton. On Court Philippe-Chatrier on Sunday (June 1), Alcaraz, with his three-hour, 19-minute win, also secured his 100th tour-level victory on clay.

The defending champion is now in the quarterfinal of the French Open for the fourth consecutive year. Next, he will face Tommy Paul, who ended 25th seed Alexei Popyrin‘s run with a victory in straight sets.

The four-time Grand Slam champion has met the American six times on the tour, winning four of those matches, including one on clay in last year’s Paris Olympics quarterfinal. The two victories that Paul clinched came at the Canadian Open in 2022 and 2023.

When the two met, the matches were not one-sided affairs. After his fourth-round win, Alcaraz said he is expecting another tough match against the World No.12.

I remember every match I played against him was really tough. It was really difficult. In Grand Slams. In Masters 1000s. All the tournaments I’ve played him in, it wasn’t easy at all. I lost a few matches against him as well. He’s in the quarterfinal of another grand slam. His level is really high right now. He has a lot of confidence.

Alcaraz is chasing his fifth Major and his second on clay. He is also bidding to win his third clay-court trophy of the season, following the Monte Carlo Masters and the Italian Open. Alcaraz has reached the finals of the three tournaments he has played on the red dirt, losing just the Barcelona Open.

Paul, before arriving in Paris, played the Italian Open semifinal where eventual runner-up Jannik Sinner knocked him out in three sets. The 28-year-old, who has reached the French Open last eight for the first time, has so far won four singles titles- three on hard courts and one on grass.

With his fourth-round win, the Murcia native extended his head-to-head record over Shelton to 3-0. Shelton, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, had reached the last 16 of the clay-court Major for the first time.

Andre Agassi explains how Carlos Alcaraz hurts his opponents on clay

Carlos Alcaraz is the winner of 19 singles titles, which included his four Majors. Six of them he lifted on hard, three on grass, and 10 on clay.

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

Tennis great Andre Agassi compared compatriot Tommy Paul and Australia’s Alex de Minaur with Alcaraz to explain what makes the World No.2 a dangerous player on the red dirt. Agassi said Alcaraz “hurts” his opponent because of his incredible movement combined with his athleticism and tennis skills.

Then you watch those same three on clay, a more slippery surface, and you realize that the fastest guys’ movement diminishes about five percent but Alcaraz’s only diminishes one or two percent. Alcaraz trusts his power in his legs so much that from incredibly defensive positions he can still hurt you, which means you have to have your guard up at all times.

Andre Agassi said on TNT Sports

Alcaraz is 31-2 on the surface since last May. The winner of the Alcaraz versus Paul will face the winner of the quarterfinal match between Lorenzo Musetti and Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals. Alcaraz, if he reaches the final, could set up a blockbuster clash with World No.1 Jannik Sinner or 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the final.

The 22-year-old trails 3-5 in the head-to-head record over the Serb but is 7-4 against the three-time Grand Slam champion and has won four consecutive matches against him. Alcaraz is bidding to become just the third player in this century to defend his Roland Garros crown after 14-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal (10 times) and Gustavo Kuerten (2001).

Also read: (Video) Aryna Sabalenka Gatecrashes Novak Djokovic’s Interview on TNT Sports at Roland Garros