Tennis-Confident Alcaraz relishing French Open rematch with Tsitsipas

PARIS (Reuters) – Carlos Alcaraz’s hopes of a maiden French Open title will face a stern test when he faces Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals on Tuesday, but the Spaniard will be high on confidence given his stunning record against the Greek ninth seed.

Third seed Alcaraz last year played some exceptional tennis to beat Tsitsipas 6-2 6-1 7-6(5) and earn a spot in the last four of Roland-Garros for the first time in his career.

Having won all five of their previous meetings, 21-year-old Alcaraz is eyeing a third Grand Slam crown while he tries to bury the heartbreak of last year’s semi-final loss, where he suffered severe cramps against eventual champion Novak Djokovic.

Tsitsipas, however, will have hope of causing an upset at Court Philippe-Chatrier in the night session given his recent form. The 25-year-old won his third Monte Carlo title in April after beating heavyweights Casper Ruud, Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev.

“I love these kinds of matches,” Alcaraz said after thrashing 21st-seed Felix Auger Aliassime in the fourth round on Sunday. “I’ve seen a lot of matches lately from Stefanos. I know he’s playing great tennis and has a lot of confidence right now.

“I have the key against him. I’ll try to play the shots that get him in trouble. I’ll try to show my best.

“Hopefully, the crowd enjoys (it) as much as I’m going to. Let’s see how it’s going to be.”

Still searching for an elusive first Grand Slam title, Tsitsipas hopes to make the most of his chances against Alcaraz.

“Well, he has said in the past he likes playing against me, so I hope he gets to like it a little bit less this time,” the Greek said.

“I hope I can get him to that stage that he’s maybe not so comfortable playing against me, that’s my goal going into the match.”

Another mouth-watering clash awaits in the day session, with Australian Open champion Sinner taking on the resurgent Grigor Dimitrov.

Dimitrov had been touted as a potential winner of the biggest prizes in tennis since becoming Wimbledon junior champion in 2008 with a style likened to that of Roger Federer, but the 33-year-old has yet to live up to his early promise.

However, the Bulgarian has been in fine form this year, climbing back into the top-10 rankings for the first time since 2018.

In the women’s draw, top seed Iga Swiatek faces reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the day session as the 23-year-old Pole chases a third successive French Open crown.

Swiatek will look to continue her devastating form after beating unseeded Russian Anastasia Potapova 6-0 6-0 in 40 minutes in the previous round.

American third seed Coco Gauff, the 2023 U.S. Open champion, will also be in action during the day as she takes on Tunisian eighth seed Ons Jabeur.

(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)