The world number 1 Carlos Alcaraz once again showed a tremendous level and left no option to the Italian Lorenzo Musetti (18th); 6-3, 6-2 and 6-2 in two hours and eight minutes, to advance to the Roland Garros quarterfinals, this Sunday at the Philippe Chatrier.
The Spanish sensation thus equals his performance last year, when he fell in the quarterfinals against Alexander Zverev. In this edition he awaits the winner of the duel between Stefanos Tsitsipas (5th) and the Austrian Sebastian Ofner (118th).
There was expectation to see the number 1, untouchable in the first three rounds, against a rival who had won the only match between the two, the final in Hamburg last year.
But the great duel on Sunday, between two 20-year-old boys who have known each other since they were children, did not have much intrigue, with an Alcaraz capable of combining consistency and art against a Musetti who left some brushstrokes but unable to sustain the level.
“I showed a great level, great quality shots and it was a very complete match,” Alcaraz said as soon as he finished before Fabrice Santoro, who asked him about his smiles during the matches.
“I try not to think about the pressure, the number 1 or that I am one of the favorites to win the tournament. I put these thoughts aside and I just want to play tennis and have fun; smiling and making people enjoy is what I think in games,” he said.
In a one-way duel, Alcaraz achieved 42 winners to Musetti’s 17, and both players tied at 23 unforced errors. The Spaniard achieved seven breaks and the Italian only two.
Confusing start
Unlike the three previous rounds, in which he started like a shot, Alcaraz started this time out of place, multiplying the misses and delivering his serve.
But his initial mistake was a mirage. He quickly adjusted the settings, warmed up and the show began.
Musetti found himself overwhelmed by his endless catalogue. He dropped serve again and delivered the first set.
In the second the same dynamic was maintained with an Alcaraz who accelerated and multiplied the frequency of the ‘Ohhh’ from the stands, including a couple of ‘Willys’ -hitting from behind and below the legs-, which ended up pointing at an impotent Musetti.
The Italian, who reached the round of 16 at a high level and without giving up a set, received the support of the public at the beginning of the third round, who changed sides fearful of running out of a show very soon.
But the aesthetic tennis of the Italian, who at some point entered into a beautiful duel of drop shots with the Spanish maestro, lacked the weight to offer a real battle.