Defending French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz demonstrated resilience Friday night, overcoming a third-set slump to defeat Bosnia's Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 at Roland Garros. The Spanish world No. 2 initially dominated play before facing unexpected resistance from his 33-year-old opponent during a tense night session on Court Philippe Chatrier.
"Today I suffered quite a lot," Alcaraz admitted post-match. "Maintaining focus through four hours of Grand Slam tennis is always challenging." The 22-year-old phenom committed only two unforced errors in the first set but saw that number skyrocket to 20 in the third as Dzumhur capitalized on tactical adjustments.
The match turned when Dzumhur took a medical timeout at 3-2 down in the third set, returning with renewed aggression. The Bosnian broke Alcaraz's serve twice to claim the set, then surged to a 3-1 lead in the fourth before the Spaniard rediscovered his rhythm.
In other results, Denmark's Holger Rune survived a five-set thriller against French wildcard Quentin Halys (4-6, 6-2, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2), setting up a round of 16 clash with Italy's Lorenzo Musetti. "It was a brutal match," Rune said, praising his opponent's performance in challenging weather conditions.
Alcaraz now prepares to face American 13th seed Ben Shelton as he continues his title defense. The Spanish star's ability to regain composure after mid-match struggles will be closely watched by tennis analysts and fans alike.
