PARIS — Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached the fourth spherical of the French Open after laboring previous Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 within the Friday night time session.
The second-seeded Spaniard had by no means earlier than performed Dzumhur, a 33-year-old Bosnian who had by no means been previous the third spherical at any main match.
“I suffered rather a lot at present,” stated Alcaraz, who has dropped two units up to now. “The primary two units was beneath management, then he began to play extra deeply and extra aggressively. It was actually tough for me.”
Dzumhur damage his left knee in a fall within the second spherical, and had remedy on Friday on his proper leg in the course of the changeover at 3-2 down within the third set. He then lay down on the bottom whereas the coach labored on each legs for a number of minutes.
The gang on Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier did a Mexican wave and shouted “Olé” whereas it waited.
Then Dzumhur acquired cheers when he made an inconceivable smash regardless of being off stability, once more when he gained the third set, and as soon as extra when he broke Alcaraz within the opening recreation of the fourth set.
An inconceivable turnaround appeared to be taking place as Alcaraz made clumsy unforced errors. However the four-time Grand Slam champion broke again within the sixth and the eighth video games to serve for the match.
Nonetheless, the resilient Dzumhur, whose face was purple with effort and glistening with sweat, broke again to pull the suspense out just a little longer.
Alcaraz lastly clinched victory on his second match level and faces No. 13 Ben Shelton within the fourth spherical.
Shelton might be making his first look within the spherical of 16 at Roland Garros after beating Matteo Gigante 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
With No. 12 Tommy Paul’s five-set win over No. 24 Karen Khachanov on Friday, and No. 15 Frances Tiafoe defeating No. 23 Sebastian Korda 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-4 in an all-American matchup, the U.S. could have three males within the French Open fourth spherical for the primary time since 1995.
If qualifier Ethan Quinn wins on Saturday, there could be 4 American males in Week 2 in Paris for the primary time since 1991.
In different males’s third-round play Friday, No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti of Italy beat Mariano Navone and No. 10 Holger Rune of Denmark beat Frenchman Quentin Halys in 5 units.
No. 25 Alexei Popyrin of Australia additionally superior.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
