As Stefanos Tsitsipas attempted to push back against the relentless, suffocating force across the net, he settled on the most trustworthy parts of his game. Down 2-4, double break-point in the first set of his French Open quarter-final against Carlos Alcaraz, he slammed a precise serve out wide from the left side, which he followed with a clean, cross-court forehand to the other corner. He moved forward in anticipation of an easy volley.
After a couple of steps, however, the point was over. Alcaraz had flitted to his right, tracking Tsitsipas’s forehand down before unloading on an absurd down-the-line forehand. The ball whipped up, then dipped sharply, and the Greek could only watch as it flew past him.
Tsitsipas spent much of his time on Court Philippe Chatrier on Tuesday in a similar manner, reduced to a spectator in his own match as Alcaraz methodically picked apart every weakness in his game. After another astonishing performance, the Spaniard moved into the semi-final of the French Open for the first time in his young career with a 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (5) win.
In the process, the 20-year-old set up a long-awaited semi-final match with Novak Djokovic, a battle of the two best players in the world who have traded the No 1 ranking without facing each other for over a year. It is only Alcaraz’s second slam semi-final. He won his first one, in the US Open last September.
Earlier on Tuesday, Djokovic reached the semi-finals by recovering from a sluggish, flat start to produce a convincing 4-6, 7-6 (0), 6-2, 6-4 win against Karen Khachanov, the 11th seed, confidently passing his biggest test of the tournament so far.
“This match [against Djokovic], everyone wanted to watch. I would say it’s gonna be a really good match to play and to watch as well. I really wanted to play this match. I always say if you want to be the best you have to beat the best,” said Alcaraz.
From the beginning, Alcaraz smothered Tsitsipas with his unrelenting, all-court, attack. He threw his entire body weight into nuclear forehands, forcing the Greek far behind the baseline before peppering him with drop shots. His impenetrable defence made the court appear narrow, while Alcaraz also neutralised one of the most effective serves in the world.
Tsitsipas is the fifth best player in the world and one of the stars of the younger generation. Runner-up here in 2021, where he led Djokovic by two sets, he proudly describes clay courts as his territory. He entered the tournament as a realistic title hope, yet on one of the biggest stages in the sport he faced an opponent who seemed to be playing a different sport.
To his credit, Tsitsipas fought until the end. Down 5-2 and double match point, having won only four games in the entire match, he saved the match points and kept himself alive long enough for nerves to strike Alcaraz. But he collected himself and closed out an enormous win in the tiebreak.
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Afterwards, an amazed Marion Bartoli asked Alcaraz how he is capable of producing such a level: “Believing in myself all the time,” he said. “I would say that’s the main thing. Not only for me, for everyone. I always think that I am going to play these kind of matches and this level and that’s the key of this with everything, with joy. That’s the key.”
Alcaraz began the tournament as the world No 1 at a grand slam for the first time, the heavy favourite in his third full season. He has so far handled all the pressure that comes with his status without issue. He will next face a true measure of his form and level against the most successful men’s player of all time.
Earlier on Tuesday, Djokovic initially struggled to find his range against a tenacious Khachanov. As the prospect of a two-set deficit loomed, the Serb responded by producing a flawless tiebreak before cruising to victory.
Djokovic has tried to build his form at the French Open after a clay-court season beset by injury issues and indifferent form, and his recovery against Khachanov indicated that more progress has been made. A monumental task awaits.