Alcaraz Cruises⁣ into French Open Semifinals, Paul Hampered by Injury

Updated June 3, 2025
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PARIS⁣ — Carlos Alcaraz showcased his ⁤dominance at the French Open, dispatching Tommy Paul in straight sets to reach the semifinals for the ‍third year running. The No. 2 seed defeated Paul 6-0, 6-1, 6-4, though Paul⁤ was visibly hampered ⁢by a heavily taped⁣ right thigh, limiting his movement and power.

Alcaraz quickly seized‍ control, winning the first two sets in just 52 minutes. The Spaniard’s aggressive play resulted in a 40-13 winners advantage. Despite a more competitive third set where Paul briefly led, Alcaraz closed out the match in just over 90 ⁤minutes.

Seeking his fifth Grand Slam trophy, Alcaraz becomes the first defending‍ men’s champion to‍ reach the French Open semifinals since Rafael ‍Nadal in 2021. His record on red clay this season improves to 20-1,and he leads the men’s tour with 35 wins and three titles.

Alcaraz will face No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti in the semifinals,who earlier ⁤defeated No. 15 Frances Tiafoe.⁢ The remaining quarterfinal matches feature ‍No. ⁤1 Jannik Sinner against Alexander‍ Bublik, and No. 3 Alexander Zverev against Novak Djokovic.

Paul and Tiafoe marked the first time as 1996 that two American men reached the French Open quarterfinals in the same year. They are also the ⁤first ⁢American men ⁣to reach the round ‍of eight since Andre Agassi in 2003.

What’s next

Alcaraz will face a tough challenge⁣ against Musetti‍ as he continues his quest for another Grand⁤ Slam title at Roland Garros. The remaining quarterfinal matches promise further⁤ excitement as the tournament progresses.