Stefanos Tsitsipas appears again in the path of Carlos Alcaraz in Paris | ATP Tour

Roland Garros

Tsitsipas reappears on the Alcaraz road in Paris

The Greek gave in to the Spanish in the last edition

June 02, 2024

Among the candidates to open the Grand Slam showcase, the name of Stefanos Tsitsipas appears in the most prominent positions. At 25 years old, the Greek walks into Roland Garros with experience on his side, the authority gained on clay and the strokes refined after four matches already resolved on the courts of Paris. This Sunday, the one from Athens reached the quarterfinals for the second consecutive season, placing the Musketeers Cup in the center of their sights.

The ninth seed emerged unscathed from a very dangerous match, coming back 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-2 against the Italian Matteo Arnaldi on the Suzanne Lenglen Court. The Greek resisted a collection of extreme situations with absolute coldness, saving four set points to avoid finding himself two sets behind in Paris. After passing that Rubicon not suitable for the faint of heart, the one from Athens took control of the match until completing his hardest-fought victory in this edition of Roland Garros.

“I had to go to the limit. It was one of the most incredible comebacks I have ever experienced,” Tsitsipas said. “He seemed to be in control the whole game. He was very frustrating on my part because he was giving everything, trying to get him to move, but nothing seemed to be working.”

“My spirit is the reason why I managed to come back. Even with 3-5 in the second set I felt like I could lift it. Within me I had that strength to turn the match, I think the 5-4 game in which I defeated him broken has given me the greatest satisfaction on a tennis court in a long time. I realized that I had a chance. Now, together with the stands, we are in this together and it is wonderful.

The match was a tough test for Stefanos, facing one of the revelation players in the second Grand Slam of the year. The Italian tried to impose the speed of his forehand full of confidence, boosted after achieving the first Top 10 victory of his career against Andrey Rublev in the previous round. With magnificent ease of legs in the first two sets, Arnaldi demanded the Greek on the baseline like no one else. A test of reflexes before the tournament becomes more demanding in the final rounds.

The horizon poses a gigantic revalidation for Tsitsipas in Paris. The Greek will seek a place in the semifinals against the Spanish Carlos Alcaraz, his executioner a year ago in this same round on the clay of Roland Garros. If Stefanos wants to make a strong bid for his first Grand Slam tournament, the moment of truth may be just around the corner.

In 2024, the Greek has strengthened his status as one of the most respected players on clay in the locker room. With constant security in each tournament, Tsitsipas has a record of 17-3 on the surface this season, including the final in Barcelona and his third crown at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, one of the most notable recent feats on the shores. from the Mediterranean.

Did you know…?
Stefanos Tsitsipas was two games away from lifting the Musketeers Cup in the 2021 season, achieving what remains the best Grand Slam result of his career on the Paris clay court. The Greek had a two-set advantage over Novak Djokovic, who ultimately won the only Roland Garros final decided in the fifth set in the last decade.