We know the names of the first and first qualified for the last four singles of the Roland-Garros tournament. On the men’s side, the world number 1, Carlos Alcaraz, joined Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals by winning easily against the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (5e). In the absence of Rafael Nadal, the 20-year-old Spaniard, qualified for his first semi-final on Parisian clay, and the Serbian Djokovic are favorites this year in Paris. Djokovic qualified at the expense of Russian Karen Khachanov (11e global).
On the women’s side, the Czech Karolina Muchova and the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka emerged victorious in their quarters, respectively against the Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina.
- Novak Kjokovic drops his first set in the tournament but passes
Novak Djokovic, 3e global and in search of a 23e Grand Slam title, qualified for his twelfth semi-final at Roland-Garros – only Rafael Nadal did better with 15 semi-finals for 14 titles) beating Karen Khachanov, (11e world) in four sets, 4-6, 7-6 (7/0), 6-2, 6-4.
The 36-year-old Serbian was slow to get into the game and didn’t get a set point in the first set he lost. It was the first round he conceded this year in the Paris tournament. In the second set, everyone held their face-off without conceding a single break point, but in the tie-break, Djokovic was untouchable. He clearly raised his game in the third set and regained his efficiency. But he had to fight hard in the fourth round to finally dismiss Khachanov who had climbed into the last four of the last two Grand Slam tournaments (US Open 2022 and Australian Open 2023).
- Alcaraz outclasses Tsitsipas
The shock will take place. World number 1 Carlos Alcaraz joined Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals by outclassing Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (7/5) in just over two hours in the evening.
The 20-year-old Spaniard, who became the world’s youngest No. 1 when he won his first Grand Slam tournament last year at the US Open, has sickened the Greek.
Even though the world number 5, having trailed 5-2 in the third set, saved five match points in total and pushed the set to the tie-break, he was overall completely overwhelmed and overpowered by Alcaraz who inflicted 36 on him. winning shots.
“I lost my concentration a bit at the end, but I’m happy that I was able to overcome this moment because the end was very tense”explained the Spaniard who is already looking to his next game.
“It’s amazing to play a Grand Slam semi-final against Novak [Djokovic]. I’ve seen him millions of times in semi-finals and Grand Slam finals, winning titles. I remember a lot of Rafa matches [Nadal] and Djokovic, told Alcaraz. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of. When I watched these matches, I thought to myself: “One day, it will be me”. This day has arrived. It’s a dream come true.”.
- Karolina Muchova continues her beautiful journey
First qualified for the semi-finals, the Czech Karolina Muchova (43e) easily defeated Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (333e), runner-up in 2021, 7-5, 6-2. At 26, she has achieved her best career in the Parisian Grand Slam so far, in line with her coup in the first round against the Greek Maria Sakkari (8e).
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Karolina Muchova broke early in the game to take the lead, which she then lost over the set. Bis repeated in the second round, again started with an authoritarian break. It was on her second opportunity that the Czech won this match of 1h 38 min, after a backhand foul by her opponent, the 29e Of the game.
She will play her second semi-final in a Grand Slam tournament, after that at the Australian Open 2021.
- Aryna Sabalenka obliterates Elina Svitolina
Karolina Muchova will therefore face Aryna Sabalenka, world No. 2, in the semi-finals. Victorious without trembling (6-4, 6-4), the Belarusian put an end to the enchanted parenthesis of Elina Svitolina, back eight months after giving birth. Despite her combativeness, the 28-year-old gave in under the blows of the powerful Belarusian, in front of once again bare boxes.
In this confrontation with strong geopolitical accents, the end of the match was icy. While Ukraine has been attacked for more than a year by Russia, supported by Belarus, after the last blow of the game, Sabalenka waited for his opponent at the net. But like every time she faced a Russian or Belarusian player, Svitolina refused to shake her opponent’s hand.
After escaping the normally compulsory exercise of the press conference after her two previous matches, with the agreement of the Paris tournament, Sabalenka went there this time after this victory to condemn the war in Ukraine. Without mincing words.
“I don’t support war, which means I don’t support Lukashenko [le président biélorusse] Right now “said the player, for the first time. “I do not support war. I don’t want my country to be involved in a conflict. You know what my position is (…) I do not support this war”, she said again. But “I don’t want sport to be mixed up in politics because I’m just a 25-year-old tennis player. I just want to be a tennis player. »