In the early days of the journeys of Carlos Alcaraz and Lorenzo Musetti, both players took their first steps on to the ATP Challenger tour during the same period in 2019. The progress of two talented teenagers only a year apart in age naturally led to com-parisons regarding their varied, well‑rounded games and of who would make it to the top.
As they entered Court Philippe-Chatrier on Sunday afternoon, both seeded in the fourth round of a grand slam tournament while in their early twenties, it was a reminder that both players have succeeded but also of how far Alcaraz has outpaced all of his rivals.
With complete ease Alcaraz, the top seed, dismantled the 17th seed Musetti 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to reach the -quarter-finals of the French Open for the second year in a row. He now stands one round away from a much anticipated showdown with Novak Djokovic, who eased into the quarter-finals by defeating the unseeded Peruvian Juan Pablo -Varillas, with the identical score of 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
One of the very best clay court -players in the world stands in Alcaraz’s way. He will face -Stefanos Tsitsipas, the fifth seed this year and the 2021 runner-up in Paris, as he looks for a maiden semi-final. Tsitsipas moved past Sebastian Ofner and into the quarter-finals with a 7-5, 6-3, 6-0 win late on Sunday.
For Djokovic, the victory moved him into his 17th career quarter‑final appearance at Roland -Garros, -breaking his tie with Rafael Nadal as the all-time record holder, a dis-tinction that he did not allow himself to linger on for a second.
Next for Djokovic will be another test in Karen Khachanov, the 11th seed who has established himself as a tenacious competitor capable of making deep runs at grand slam tournaments. This event marks Khachanov’s third consecutive major quarter-final after reaching semi‑finals of both the US Open and the Australian Open.
“I’m proud of it, but my attention is already on the next match,” Djokovic said of his quarter-final record. “Obviously quarter-finals, Khachanov, I know what my goal is here. I’m -trying to stay mentally the course and of course not look too far. Obviously the performance today gives me a great deal of confidence about how I felt, about how I played. So I’m looking forward to the next match.”
Afterwards, Djokovic sent positive thoughts towards Nadal after the news that the Spaniard will be out for at least five months after having arthroscopic surgery on his hip. “I really hope that his rehabilitation process can go well and that we can see him next season,” Djokovic said.
“I think that he’s so important for our game on and off the court, one of the greatest legends of tennis in the history of the game. We want to see healthy Rafa, no question about it, playing for what he has announced his last season. Hopefully he’s gonna be able to do that.”
Russian and Belarusian tennis players face an uncertain wait to see if their visas will be processed in time to compete at Wimbledon this year despite being allowed to return to the All England Club. UK visitor visas have six weeks pro-cessing time at minimum, but since the Home Office is conducting additional security checks for Russia and Belarus nationals they are taking longer. While some players have multi‑year visas, those renewing their visa or applying for the first time face an uncertain wait.
Last month the Australian Open champion, Aryna Sabalenka, said on Instagram that she had not yet received her visa for Wimbledon. After her third‑round defeat, the 16‑year-old Mirra Andreeva said she is also still waiting for her visa to be accepted. “I don’t get my visa yet, so we will see if I can participate in Wimbledon or no. But if not, we will just choose the tournaments and I will just maybe play some ITFs. I don’t know yet,” Andreeva said.
While Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova says she does have a UK visa, since she is returning from a lengthy injury her ranking is not even sufficient to make the Wimbledon qualifying draw. As a former top-20 player and French Open finalist, under normal circumstances she would be a likely wildcard recipient but this year she will not be competing at Wimbledon.
“Do you think after the situation last year they would give me a wildcard this year?” she said, laughing. “Actually, you’re right, thank you. I will try and ask, and I’ll let you know in the next press conference. Fingers crossed.”
