Carlos Alcaraz won not just against a formidable opponent, but also a “battle in the mind” as he defeated Ben Shelton of the United States of America to secure a spot in the French Open quarterfinals.
The Spaniard, 22 and the defending champion, showed his determination and skills in a four-set match, winning with a final scoreline of 7-6 (10-8), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 on the iconic Court Philippe Chatrier.
This victory also marks his 100th career win on the clay surface on the ATP Tour, cementing him as one of the athletes who has grown dominance on the said surface.
Despite his win, it was the toughest match that the young athlete had faced. With this, Alcaraz admitted, “Honestly, today I fought against myself in the mind… I just tried to calm myself – in some moments I was mad.”
He added, “I was angry with myself, talking not good things. I’m happy that I didn’t let that thought play against me… I tried to calm myself and tried to keep going.”
Highlights of the match
The opening set had a difficult start as Alcaraz was unable to convert the only break point.
In the tie-break, Shelton played aggressively and strongly, but held his nerve, eventually taking the set. Moreover, Shelton created six break point chances in the first game of the second set, but Alcaraz saved them all, and broke Shelton to win the set.
In the third set, both players exchanged early breaks before Shelton saved a break point at 4-4. Alcaraz responded with professionalism and broke early in the fourth set for a 2-1 lead. Shelton couldn’t close the lead, and Alcaraz won the match with a powerful forehand, sealing his 100th clay-court win and a spot in the last eight.
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“Every time we face each other, I said we brought the level to the top… We entertained the people. He is a really powerful player. He can make any shots,” Alcaraz admitted.
He added, “I think we played really great tennis. Drops, coming to the net, big shots, and we stayed there the whole match… For me, it is great having Ben around, a great energy for tennis and for the people. I love watching him play.”
Alcaraz shared a social media post captioned: “Well played @benshelton! 🤝🏻 It was a fun match! Happy to be in the quarters! @rolandgarros” in which Ben Shelton replied to saying “Too good 🙏🏽”
Netizens showed their support for both athletes, praising their sportsmanship and the excitement of the match. Many described it as inspiring and a great example for young tennis fans. One fan commented, “Cancel the final, we already watched it!! 🙌🙌” while another wrote, “Fierce battle today, Carlitos! Great play and sportsmanship from both you and Ben! Tennis is in good hands with you two. Congrats on making the QFs. Vamos! 🩵🔥💪🗼” Others chimed in with messages like, “Phenomenal Tennis boys!!! Thank you for the joy you give us!!! 🎾🎾🎾”
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