The red clay of Roland Garros, steeped in tennis history, is once again the stage for high drama as the 2025 French Open unfolds. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, the 22-year-old Spanish sensation, has emerged as the player to beat, his path to a second consecutive title illuminated by the unexpected stumbles of two formidable rivals. On a gripping Wednesday at the Paris major, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas, both former finalists with pedigrees on clay, crashed out in stunning upsets, clearing a significant hurdle for Alcaraz’s title defense. “It was a great, great match,” Alcaraz said after his own hard-fought victory, his confidence soaring as he navigates the tournament with the poise of a seasoned champion.
Alcaraz’s second-round clash against Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan was no walk in the park. The world No. 2 faced a familiar foe who had stunned him at the 2023 Italian Open, their only prior clay-court meeting. This time, Alcaraz was ready, unleashing his electrifying forehand and deft drop shots to secure a 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 triumph on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Despite a second-set wobble where Marozsan’s aggressive play briefly disrupted his rhythm, Alcaraz regained control, breaking his opponent eight times. “I started pretty well, the first set I had a really high confidence,” he told Mats Wilander in an on-court interview. “The second set, he started to play much better, really aggressively… But really happy to stay strong.” His 20th French Open win in just 23 matches places him among clay-court elites, with only Rafael Nadal reaching that milestone faster since 2000. Alcaraz’s clay dominance—15-1 in 2025, with titles in Monte Carlo and Rome—has him brimming with belief as he eyes a fourth Grand Slam title.
The exits of Ruud and Tsitsipas have reshaped the men’s draw, tilting the odds further in Alcaraz’s favor. Ruud, a two-time finalist and 2024 semi-finalist, fell to world No. 167 Matteo Gigante in a shock second-round defeat, while Tsitsipas, the 2021 runner-up, was ousted by another low-ranked Italian, Matteo Arnaldi. These upsets remove two clay-court specialists from Alcaraz’s projected path, particularly Tsitsipas, whom Alcaraz has beaten in all six encounters, including French Open quarter-finals in 2023 and 2024. “They’ve won the last five majors,” said tennis great Jim Courier, highlighting the chasm between Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and the rest of the field. With Ruud and Tsitsipas gone, Alcaraz’s bottom half of the draw now features eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti as the highest-ranked threat, a player he’s defeated in Monte Carlo and Rome this season.
Alcaraz’s next challenge is a third-round match against Damir Dzumhur, who upset 31st seed Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. While Dzumhur poses little threat on paper, Alcaraz remains cautious, aware that Grand Slams are marathons, not sprints. “Now he enters the tournament, the only thing he needs to do is to don’t try and win the tournament on the first day,” advised Alex Corretja, a two-time Roland Garros finalist, urging Alcaraz to pace himself. The Spaniard’s versatility—blending ferocious groundstrokes with delicate touch—makes him a nightmare on clay, where his 83.8% win rate trails only Nadal and Bjorn Borg among players with 25 or more matches. “Most of the time, I’m trying to not think about anything else but enjoying playing,” Alcaraz said, his wide smile reflecting the joy he brings to the court.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes are on a potential final showdown with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who dispatched Arthur Rinderknech in straight sets. Alcaraz’s 4-0 clay-court record against Sinner, including a five-set semi-final win at last year’s French Open and a straight-sets Rome final victory, gives him a psychological edge. Yet, Sinner’s resilience post-doping ban and Novak Djokovic’s quest for a 25th major loom as potential spoilers. For now, Alcaraz’s path looks clearer, his confidence unshaken. “Beating Jannik, winning Rome—both things mix together and give me great confidence going to Paris,” he said after Rome. With rivals faltering and his game firing, Alcaraz is poised to reign over Roland Garros once more, carrying the torch for a new era on clay.
# Carlos Alcaraz’s French Open Path Brightens as Rivals Stumble
The red clay of Roland Garros, steeped in tennis history, is once again the stage for high drama as the 2025 French Open unfolds. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, the 22-year-old Spanish sensation, has emerged as the player to beat, his path to a second consecutive title illuminated by the unexpected stumbles of two formidable rivals. On a gripping Wednesday at the Paris major, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas, both former finalists with pedigrees on clay, crashed out in stunning upsets, clearing a significant hurdle for Alcaraz’s title defense. “It was a great, great match,” Alcaraz said after his own hard-fought victory, his confidence soaring as he navigates the tournament with the poise of a seasoned champion.
Alcaraz’s second-round clash against Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan was no walk in the park. The world No. 2 faced a familiar foe who had stunned him at the 2023 Italian Open, their only prior clay-court meeting. This time, Alcaraz was ready, unleashing his electrifying forehand and deft drop shots to secure a 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 triumph on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Despite a second-set wobble where Marozsan’s aggressive play briefly disrupted his rhythm, Alcaraz regained control, breaking his opponent eight times. “I started pretty well, the first set I had a really high confidence,” he told Mats Wilander in an on-court interview. “The second set, he started to play much better, really aggressively… But really happy to stay strong.” His 20th French Open win in just 23 matches places him among clay-court elites, with only Rafael Nadal reaching that milestone faster since 2000. Alcaraz’s clay dominance—15-1 in 2025, with titles in Monte Carlo and Rome—has him brimming with belief as he eyes a fourth Grand Slam title.
The exits of Ruud and Tsitsipas have reshaped the men’s draw, tilting the odds further in Alcaraz’s favor. Ruud, a two-time finalist and 2024 semi-finalist, fell to world No. 167 Matteo Gigante in a shock second-round defeat, while Tsitsipas, the 2021 runner-up, was ousted by another low-ranked Italian, Matteo Arnaldi. These upsets remove two clay-court specialists from Alcaraz’s projected path, particularly Tsitsipas, whom Alcaraz has beaten in all six encounters, including French Open quarter-finals in 2023 and 2024. “They’ve won the last five majors,” said tennis great Jim Courier, highlighting the chasm between Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and the rest of the field. With Ruud and Tsitsipas gone, Alcaraz’s bottom half of the draw now features eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti as the highest-ranked threat, a player he’s defeated in Monte Carlo and Rome this season.
Alcaraz’s next challenge is a third-round match against Damir Dzumhur, who upset 31st seed Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. While Dzumhur poses little threat on paper, Alcaraz remains cautious, aware that Grand Slams are marathons, not sprints. “Now he enters the tournament, the only thing he needs to do is to don’t try and win the tournament on the first day,” advised Alex Corretja, a two-time Roland Garros finalist, urging Alcaraz to pace himself. The Spaniard’s versatility—blending ferocious groundstrokes with delicate touch—makes him a nightmare on clay, where his 83.8% win rate trails only Nadal and Bjorn Borg among players with 25 or more matches. “Most of the time, I’m trying to not think about anything else but enjoying playing,” Alcaraz said, his wide smile reflecting the joy he brings to the court.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes are on a potential final showdown with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who dispatched Arthur Rinderknech in straight sets. Alcaraz’s 4-0 clay-court record against Sinner, including a five-set semi-final win at last year’s French Open and a straight-sets Rome final victory, gives him a psychological edge. Yet, Sinner’s resilience post-doping ban and Novak Djokovic’s quest for a 25th major loom as potential spoilers. For now, Alcaraz’s path looks clearer, his confidence unshaken. “Beating Jannik, winning Rome—both things mix together and give me great confidence going to Paris,” he said after Rome. With rivals faltering and his game firing, Alcaraz is poised to reign over Roland Garros once more, carrying the torch for a new era on clay.
Leave a Reply