Carlos Alcaraz had an excellent 2023 season where he got to the semifinals of all the three Grand Slams he contested, defeating Novak Djokovic in the final of the Wimbledon to win it, and finishing the year as the world number two behind Djokovic.
2024 has been a relatively good year for the Spanish sensation, but for a player of his pedigree, it hasn’t gone according to plan. He’s lost five of the 27 matches he’s played, winning one title in six attempts and reaching the semifinals just twice.
He withdrew from the Italian Open due to injury but recovered in time to play in the French Open. Carlos Alcaraz will be looking to reactivate his 2024 season and add the French Open to his blossoming Grand Slam collection.
Carlos Alcaraz Starts French Open Tie Strong
The fourth round of the French Open paired the former US Open and Wimbledon champion with the Canadian number one, Felix Auger-Aliassime. Both players kept serving strongly, keeping each other on their toes all through the beginning of the first set.
At the beginning of the 8th game of the first set, both players clashed in a lengthy rally of backhand and forehand shots. Alcaraz tried to win it early by switching to a drop shot, but Auger-Aliassime was on it as quickly as possible.
Carlos Alcaraz then tried a lob which Felix was able to bring down well enough to get the rally back to ground shots. Felix then went for the drop shot, but Alcaraz got to it with time to spare and swat it away for a winner. Alcaraz broke Felix’s serve in that game and went on to serve out the set in the following game.
Alcaraz Counters Felix At Every Turn
In the 5th game of the second set, Felix Auger-Aliassime tried a wide serve and a backhand volley which ordinarily would’ve been enough to see off any other player. With Carlos Alcaraz as his opponent, the volley had to be beyond excellent because Alcaraz was on it in a flash, swatting it down the line with a well-taken backhand winner beyond Felix’s racket to break the Canadian’s serve.
The Canadian tried to get back into the set immediately, producing a breakpoint on Alcaraz’s serve. Both players then produced an excellent rally. Felix opted for a drop shot to seal the break of the Spaniard’s serve, but Alcaraz caught up to it.
In the split seconds that followed, Felix hit a backhand into the remaining two-thirds of the net that Carlos Alcaraz wasn’t covering. This should have sealed the point, but Alcaraz got there as fast as the masked DC superhero in red spandex would have and caught the volley to save the breakpoint.
Also Read: Djokovic Needs 5 Sets To Triumph In French Open 3rd Round
Felix Falls To Carlos Alcaraz’s Brilliance
Carlos Alcaraz then held firm, produced a breakpoint on Auger-Aliassime’s serve in the 9th game of the set, a secured the break and the second set with a passing backhand shot that sizzled right past the racket of the Canadian.
The third set started with a quick break of the Canadian’s serve by Carlos Alcaraz. At 5-1, Alcaraz produced two match points. A short rally ensued on Alcaraz’s serve and with a deftly played drop shot, the Spanish superstar took the match 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 in two hours and 23 minutes.
Note
Stefano Tsitsipas defeated Matteo Arnaldi in the fourth round today, which would set up a quarterfinal clash between him and Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday. Jannik Sinner would take on Corentin Moutet later in the day.
About the Author
Ebenezer has been an avid writer for over a decade and a half. Within that period, he has garnered experience in various fields such as editing, graphics design, transcribing, sales, data analysis, and football management. He’s also the author of the mystery thriller novel “The Eye of Ra.” For more articles by Ebenezer Ugorji, click here and here!
For More Great Content
Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
