As the 2025 French Open unfolds at Roland Garros, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz finds himself in a dramatically altered landscape, with his once-daunting draw unexpectedly opening up after the second round. The 22-year-old Spaniard, seeded No. 2 and fresh off a dominant clay season, has navigated his early matches with confidence, but the path to a second consecutive title has become significantly less treacherous due to a series of upsets. Alcaraz’s blend of aggressive baseline play and infectious charisma continues to light up Paris, yet the shifting dynamics of his draw have sparked intrigue about his chances of becoming the first man since Rafael Nadal to defend the French Open crown.
Alcaraz kicked off his title defense with a commanding 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri, showcasing his clay-court prowess with 14 unbroken service games and a fierce ace to seal the match. “It was really, really solid,” Alcaraz said, expressing pride in his start. In the second round, he faced Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan, a player who had previously troubled him with crafty drop shots on clay. The match proved a test, with Alcaraz dropping the second set after Marozsan broke his serve. “I think I am playing a really high level of tennis, I started the match well,” Alcaraz reflected, noting how he refocused after the setback to win 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. His ability to “refresh my mind and forget the second set” highlighted his mental resilience, a hallmark of his game at just 22 years old.
Initially, Alcaraz’s draw appeared formidable. A projected third-round clash with 31st seed Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, a big-serving Frenchman, loomed large, followed by a potential fourth-round battle against 2021 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas. Beyond that, fourth seed Taylor Fritz was a likely semifinal opponent, with top seed Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic awaiting in a potential final. However, the bottom half of the draw, where Alcaraz resides, has unraveled. Mpetshi Perricard fell to Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur in the second round, a surprising upset given Dzumhur’s 4-19 record against top-10 players and his last such win dating back to 2017. “I think it was good, I played very well in the first set and then the second set was a big battle,” Alcaraz said of his own match, unaware that his next opponent would be the less intimidating Dzumhur.
The chaos didn’t stop there. Tsitsipas, a dangerous clay-courter, was knocked out, and Fritz, expected to challenge Alcaraz in the semifinals, suffered a first-round defeat to Germany’s Daniel Altmaier, ending his disappointing clay swing. These upsets have left eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti as the highest-ranked player Alcaraz could face in the semifinals. Having already defeated Musetti twice in 2025—at Monte-Carlo and the Italian Open—Alcaraz holds a psychological edge. “I was thinking about the important things. To enjoy it, have fun out there and not think about the result and the pressure,” Alcaraz said, emphasizing his focus on playing freely, which has carried him to a 15-1 clay record this season.
Despite the favorable shifts, challenges remain. Tommy Paul, the 12th seed, emerged as a potential quarterfinal opponent after rallying from two sets down against Marton Fucsovics. Paul’s clay-friendly game, honed during his 2015 French Open boys’ title run, makes him a threat, though his inconsistent form in Paris tempers expectations. In the top half, Sinner, Djokovic, and Alexander Zverev remain formidable, with Sinner’s 15-match Grand Slam win streak and Djokovic’s pursuit of a 25th major title looming large. Alcaraz’s rivalry with Sinner, whom he beat in the 2025 Italian Open final, adds intrigue to a potential championship clash.
As Alcaraz prepares for Dzumhur in the third round, the Parisian crowd continues to fuel his energy. “It’s one of my favourite courts, it’s so beautiful and it’s the best clay court in the world,” he said, praising the electric atmosphere at Court Philippe-Chatrier. With his draw unexpectedly clearing, Alcaraz’s path to a fifth Grand Slam title looks promising, but his focus remains on the present, embodying the passion and poise that make him a global tennis sensation.
# Carlos Alcaraz’s French Open 2025 Draw Opens Up After Second Round
As the 2025 French Open unfolds at Roland Garros, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz finds himself in a dramatically altered landscape, with his once-daunting draw unexpectedly opening up after the second round. The 22-year-old Spaniard, seeded No. 2 and fresh off a dominant clay season, has navigated his early matches with confidence, but the path to a second consecutive title has become significantly less treacherous due to a series of upsets. Alcaraz’s blend of aggressive baseline play and infectious charisma continues to light up Paris, yet the shifting dynamics of his draw have sparked intrigue about his chances of becoming the first man since Rafael Nadal to defend the French Open crown.
Alcaraz kicked off his title defense with a commanding 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri, showcasing his clay-court prowess with 14 unbroken service games and a fierce ace to seal the match. “It was really, really solid,” Alcaraz said, expressing pride in his start. In the second round, he faced Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan, a player who had previously troubled him with crafty drop shots on clay. The match proved a test, with Alcaraz dropping the second set after Marozsan broke his serve. “I think I am playing a really high level of tennis, I started the match well,” Alcaraz reflected, noting how he refocused after the setback to win 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. His ability to “refresh my mind and forget the second set” highlighted his mental resilience, a hallmark of his game at just 22 years old.
Initially, Alcaraz’s draw appeared formidable. A projected third-round clash with 31st seed Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, a big-serving Frenchman, loomed large, followed by a potential fourth-round battle against 2021 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas. Beyond that, fourth seed Taylor Fritz was a likely semifinal opponent, with top seed Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic awaiting in a potential final. However, the bottom half of the draw, where Alcaraz resides, has unraveled. Mpetshi Perricard fell to Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur in the second round, a surprising upset given Dzumhur’s 4-19 record against top-10 players and his last such win dating back to 2017. “I think it was good, I played very well in the first set and then the second set was a big battle,” Alcaraz said of his own match, unaware that his next opponent would be the less intimidating Dzumhur.
The chaos didn’t stop there. Tsitsipas, a dangerous clay-courter, was knocked out, and Fritz, expected to challenge Alcaraz in the semifinals, suffered a first-round defeat to Germany’s Daniel Altmaier, ending his disappointing clay swing. These upsets have left eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti as the highest-ranked player Alcaraz could face in the semifinals. Having already defeated Musetti twice in 2025—at Monte-Carlo and the Italian Open—Alcaraz holds a psychological edge. “I was thinking about the important things. To enjoy it, have fun out there and not think about the result and the pressure,” Alcaraz said, emphasizing his focus on playing freely, which has carried him to a 15-1 clay record this season.
Despite the favorable shifts, challenges remain. Tommy Paul, the 12th seed, emerged as a potential quarterfinal opponent after rallying from two sets down against Marton Fucsovics. Paul’s clay-friendly game, honed during his 2015 French Open boys’ title run, makes him a threat, though his inconsistent form in Paris tempers expectations. In the top half, Sinner, Djokovic, and Alexander Zverev remain formidable, with Sinner’s 15-match Grand Slam win streak and Djokovic’s pursuit of a 25th major title looming large. Alcaraz’s rivalry with Sinner, whom he beat in the 2025 Italian Open final, adds intrigue to a potential championship clash.
As Alcaraz prepares for Dzumhur in the third round, the Parisian crowd continues to fuel his energy. “It’s one of my favourite courts, it’s so beautiful and it’s the best clay court in the world,” he said, praising the electric atmosphere at Court Philippe-Chatrier. With his draw unexpectedly clearing, Alcaraz’s path to a fifth Grand Slam title looks promising, but his focus remains on the present, embodying the passion and poise that make him a global tennis sensation.
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