Alcaraz Also Struggles at Night

In his debut night session, after two days of playing during the day in Paris, Carlos Alcaraz had a tough time overcoming the surprising Damir Dzumhur to secure a spot in the second week of Roland Garros (6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4).

The Spaniard, who seemed poised for a quick and trouble-free victory against the world number 69, got caught up in his own pace and had to seal the win just before midnight in Paris.

Indeed, the Bosnian, a seasoned warrior with a past as an actor in his homeland, having appeared in a couple of films during his youth, boasts a victory over Rafael Nadal, albeit tainted by the Spaniard's heatstroke, and had previously taken Alcaraz to three sets in a Challenger in Barcelona in 2020. But that was long ago, so only the boldest could have anticipated an upset this Friday at the Philippe Chatrier, and perhaps not even them, as Alcaraz demonstrated during the first two sets with a win that seemed routine under the Parisian stars.

After a flawless first set, in which he committed only two unforced errors, Alcaraz managed to cruise without effort and without getting into trouble, thanks to Dzumhur's gifts, who handed over the second set with a double fault. In the third, already comfortably leading 2-0, the Bosnian felt at his best, at least during the first five games, until he had to request medical assistance for hip and right leg issues.

This setback temporarily hindered Dzumhur's mobility, but it also seemed to give him more freedom in his play, to the point of turning a 2-3 into a 5-3 and allowing him to claim a set against all odds.

Alcaraz, who had balanced smiles with a serious look until that point in the match, soon wore a frown. He began to feel worse, especially mentally, and even kicked a ball that had just gone long. The match, without knowing exactly how, had spiraled out of control.

What seemed like a swift victory had turned into a battle against an opponent with nothing to lose and on the rise, and against a crowd that, as is often the case in these situations and with tickets already paid for, was siding with the underdog and hoping for the match to last as long as possible.

That's why Alcaraz had to gesture to the crowd for support after making a spectacular point in the fourth set, where he had to recover from a break against him that threatened with an unnecessary fifth set at this stage of the tournament. That gesture helped him refocus, regain his composure, and bring down the Bosnian, who hadn't shown any signs of physical weakness since that timeout over an hour ago. Because while things were going well, Dzumhur's energy seemed inexhaustible, but as soon as Alcaraz broke back in the fourth, the Bosnian's demeanor changed, and he began to show signs of mental fatigue. He still had flashes of brilliance and much credit for the great match he was playing, but not the consistency to keep this going.

With a deep return followed by a long ball, Alcaraz confirmed his opponent's downfall and put an end to the lapses. He needed more time than expected, lost another set as in the previous round, but the important thing is that he advances. In Sunday's fourth round, he will face Ben Shelton, who defeated Matteo Gigante in three sets.

It will be the third match against the American, with the two previous encounters, in Canada 2023 and the Laver Cup 2024, in favor of the Spaniard.