French Open: Carlos Alcaraz shows sportsmanship by conceding a point to Ben Shelton
Ben Shelton of the U.S. returns the ball to Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their fourth round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday, June 1 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz returns the ball to Ben Shelton of the U.S. during their fourth round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday, June 1 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz returns the ball to Ben Shelton of the U.S. during their fourth round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday, June 1 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Ben Shelton of the U.S. returns the ball to Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their fourth round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday, June 1 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz returns the ball to Ben Shelton of the U.S. during their fourth round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday, June 1 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
PARIS (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz called himself for breaking the rules at the French Open and conceded a point to Ben Shelton on Sunday.
Early in the second set of their fourth-round match, Shelton whipped a passing shot well out of Alcaraz's reach up at the net. So Alcaraz, the defending champion at Roland-Garros, flung his racket — and, as his equipment flipped through the air, its strings somehow not only made contact with the ball but sent it back over the net and onto the other side of the court.
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Initially, the second-seeded Alcaraz was awarded the point. But he immediately went over to the chair umpire to admit that he wasn't holding his racket when it touched the ball. That's not allowed, so the point went to Shelton, an American seeded 13th.
When the official informed the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd what had happened, Alcaraz was given a round of applause.
Making the moment possibly critical, instead of leading 40-30 on his serve, Alcaraz was now down 30-40, giving Shelton his first break point of the match. But Alcaraz saved that one — and five others in that game — along the way to taking a two-set lead in the best-of-five match.
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