Alcaraz vs Dzumhur: Things we learned

Defending champion Alcaraz through in four sets to face Ben Shelton in the last 16

Carlos Alcaraz / Troisième tour Roland-Garros 2025©André Ferreira / FFT
 - Victoria Chiesa

Carlos Alcaraz (2) bt Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4

For the first 90 minutes on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Friday night, Carlos Alcaraz looked like he would sail into the second week at Roland-Garros, and to his 10th straight victory on the Parisian clay when he went up two-sets-to-love — and 3-2 in the third set — against Bosnian Damir Dzumhur.

It soon became anything but. After three hours and 15 minutes, one lost set, and a close shave in the fourth, the Spaniard sealed another spot in the second week with a 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory.

Progress continues — with a stutter

Alcaraz is now 21-3 at Roland-Garros in his young career, and keeps his hopes of being the third man to defend his Roland-Garros title this century after Gustavo Kuerten and Rafael Nadal.

But after two uncomplicated sets, a turning point came after five games in set three. After suffering a knee injury late in his second-round win against France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, physical concerns again popped up for the world No.69 Dzumhur, and he was reinvigorated by a medical timeout. 

Alcaraz was broken immediately out of that delay, and failed to convert six break chances of his own through the remainder of the set — forcing the world No.2 to four sets for the second straight round.

Dzumhur’s surge continued to start the fourth set — and his break points-saved streak hit nine as he dug out of 0-40 to consolidate an opening break at 2-0, which soon became 3-1.

But once Alcaraz broke the dam, he did it for good; four straight games went his way from then on, and though the 33-year-old had one more push in him to break serve and stay in the fight, Alcaraz took the Bosnian’s delivery for a seventh time — on his 21st chance — to finish things off.

Alcaraz now owns a 30-2 record at Grand Slams against players ranked outside the top 50, with his late-match regroup helping him avoid the fate he suffered against Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp at the US Open last summer.

Damir Dzumhur, Roland-Garros 2025, third round©Nicolas Gouhier / FFT

Dzumhur led 3-1 in the fourth set before Alcaraz came to life

Grand Slam numbers remain impressive

Alcaraz is through to the second week for the 12th time in 17 career majors played — the youngest player to do that since Nadal in 2008, and is also the youngest man since Nadal to post a double-digit winning streak in Paris.

In addition, Roland-Garros is now his most fruitful tour venue; his Friday night triumph was his 21st win on the terre battue in his career, the most he owns at any event.

Words from the winner

Alcaraz was happy to play in the night session for the first time at Roland-Garros this year, even if he jokingly admitted that “today, I didn’t enjoy it that much!”

“I suffered quite a lot today, but I’m just really happy to have played a good match with him,” Alcaraz continued. “We both played great tennis, great rallies, great points and we did enjoy all the people watching our match tonight, so I just appreciated that.

“You have to play at a really high level of tennis for three, four hours, and you have to maintain that focus … that’s the most difficult part. 

“The first two sets, I was under control, feeling great, playing great, then I think he started to play deeper and more aggressively as well, and I got down in my energy. Then it was really difficult for me to push myself, and I had to fight and give everything that I had inside. But I’m just proud of myself to get the win at the end.”

After overcoming a hardened veteran in Dzumhur, another young star awaits Alcaraz next. Pop the popcorn for his last 16 clash with No.13 seed Ben Shelton on Sunday.