French Open: Alcaraz outlasts Shelton, becomes 2nd fastest to 100 wins on clay

India Today

4 days ago

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz etched his name deeper into the red clay of Roland Garros by battling past American Ben Shelton 7-6(8), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to reach the French Open quarter-finals for the fourth consecutive year. The hard-fought victory on Sunday marked Alcaraz's 100th tour-level win on clay - achieved in just 119 matches - a feat bettered only by Rafael Nadal (112 matches) among players who began their careers in the Open Era.advertisementAlcaraz's clash with the Australian Open semifinalist was billed as a fiery encounter - and it certainly lived up to expectations. Shelton came out swinging in the opening set, attacking with relentless aggression and earning set points, but Alcaraz held his nerve and forced a tense tiebreak. Although Shelton gained an early mini-break in the tiebreaker, Alcaraz clawed back under pressure to edge the first set.The second set saw the Spaniard find his rhythm. His explosive winners began to flow more freely, while unforced errors crept into Shelton's game as he tried to hit through Alcaraz's clay-court brilliance. At 2-0 up, Alcaraz appeared to be cruising towards a straight-sets victory.
| French Open Day 8 Updates |However, Shelton showed his trademark flair by breaking early in the third set. Although Alcaraz broke back to level at 4-4, the momentum shifted again as Shelton secured a crucial break in the final game to take the set. Despite this, the American faced an uphill battle to sustain that energy into the fourth.advertisementAlcaraz responded immediately, securing an early break and maintaining control to close out the match in four sets after three hours and 19 minutes. The Court Philippe Chatrier crowd witnessed a bruising, high-octane contest, with Alcaraz saving three set points in the opening set and using his speed and finesse to counter Shelton's powerful baseline game.The 22-year-old Spaniard, who had endured a jittery performance against Damir Dzumhur in the previous round, was pushed to the limit by Shelton's booming serve and fearless aggression. Yet, the world number three held firm when it mattered most. Title defence still on #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/HoBBn78TaY— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2025"Today I fought against myself, in my mind," Alcaraz reflected after the win. "I tried to calm myself as I was mad, angry and saying things I shouldn't have. I'm really happy I didn't let those thoughts get the better of me. I tried to calm myself and keep going."Alcaraz missed his lone breakpoint opportunity in the opening 12 games and trailed 1-4 in the tiebreak before clawing his way back and capitalising on a netted shot from Shelton to take the first set. Shelton, known for his athleticism and shot-making flair, kept attacking, but Alcaraz's resilience and superior court craft saw him survive a marathon opening game in the second set before breaking through with heavy forehands and smart shot placement.advertisementThough Shelton surged to a 3-1 lead in the third, Alcaraz remained composed, raising his level to shut the door in the fourth. He sealed victory with a thunderous forehand on his second match point, letting out a roar of relief and triumph."We both have huge respect for each other," Alcaraz added. "Every time we face each other, we bring a high level and play good tennis. He's a really powerful player and can make any shot... he's an unbelievable player. We played complete tennis - big shots, coming to the net, big forehands. We stayed there during the whole match. For me, it's great having him around, it's a great energy."Alcaraz is chasing his fifth Grand Slam title this fortnight and his third clay-court crown of the season, having already triumphed at the ATP Masters 1000 events in Monte-Carlo and Rome. He aims to become just the third man this century to successfully defend his Roland Garros crown, joining Rafael Nadal (10 times) and Gustavo Kuerten (2001).Next up for the Spaniard is American Tommy Paul, whom he leads 4-2 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. Alcaraz missed Madrid earlier in the clay swing due to a right arm injury but has looked increasingly sharp in Paris.Must Watch