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MEN'S DAY 8 WRAP: Alcaraz, Sinner and Tsitsipas into quarters

general02 June 2024 21:27| © AFP
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Stefanos Tsitsipas came back from a set down to defeat Matteo Arnaldi and reach the French Open quarterfinals for the fourth time on Sunday.


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Greek ninth seed Tsitsipas, who was runner-up to Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros in 2021, won 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-2.

His reward is a clash with either Carlos Alcaraz or Felix Auger-Aliassime for a place in the semifinals.

World number 35 Arnaldi from Italy had stunned sixth-ranked Andrey Rublev in the third round but wasted a golden opportunity against Tsitsipas when he let four set points in the second set slip away.

ALCARAZ EASES INTO FRENCH OPEN LAST EIGHT

Carlos Alcaraz strolled past 21st seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 on Sunday to make the quarterfinals of the French Open for the third year in succession.

The 21-year-old Spaniard, who made the semifinals in Paris 12 months ago before losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic, pumped 34 winners past an ailing Auger-Aliassime.

The Canadian took a medical timeout while 3-2 behind in the second set for an apparent leg injury and won just two more games as Alcaraz delivered his best performance of the tournament.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz will go up against 2021 Roland Garros runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas for a place in the last four.

Alcaraz has won all five past encounters, including a straight-sets win over Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals of last year's French Open.

SINNER RECOVERS TO REACH QUARTERFINALS

Second seed Jannik Sinner dropped his first set of the tournament but recovered to beat Corentin Moutet 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals.

The 79th-ranked Moutet, the last Frenchman left in the draw, rattled off the opening five games of the match before Sinner wrested back control and eased to a four-set victory.

"It was very tough for me. I think he played very, very well in the first set, so I had to adjust a little bit," said Sinner.

"He plays different than most of the opponents, he's also a lefty and you don't play so many times against left-handers."

Sinner's seventh Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance represents the most for an Italian man in the Open era. It is the first time he has made the last eight at Roland Garros since the pandemic-delayed 2020 edition.

He will play Bulgarian 10th seed Grigor Dimitrov for a spot in the semifinals.

HURKACZ REQUESTS UMPIRE SWITCH IN FRENCH OPEN LOSS

Poland's Hubert Hurkacz made an unusual request to his opponent Grigor Dimitrov to change the chair umpire during a straight-sets loss in the last 16 of the French Open on Sunday.

Hurkacz approached Dimitrov at a changeover in the third set with the Bulgarian about to serve at 5-6, asking him if he wanted to replace Alison Hughes while motioning to do so.

Seemingly unhappy over a line call, eighth seed Hurkacz had called multiple times for the supervisor before suggesting to Dimitrov they get a new umpire.

No change was made and Dimitrov held serve before winning the tie-break to advance 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), reaching his first Roland Garros quarterfinal at the 14th attempt.

Hurkacz downplayed the incident after the match, insisting it was "all good".

"It's clay court, so it's sometimes difficult when the balls are really close... just it's really close from time to time," he said.

"Definitely some of the calls you wish they are different way, but it's just the way it is, and you gotta accept the things."

Dimitrov defended Hurkacz and maintained the exchange was not a big deal.

"I think the thing is we all can say very difficult things in the heat of a moment. I'm sure whatever he said, it was not meant in a bad way," said Dimitrov.

"Also, the umpires, they're trying their best. It's a tricky business out there when the ball gets so close to the line."

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