PARIS – Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached the fourth round of the French Open after working past Damir Zumur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6 and 6-4 in Friday night sessions.
The second seeded Spaniard never played Dzumhur, a 33-year-old Bosnian who never passed the third round in a major tournament.
“I struggled a lot today,” Alkaraz said. He’s dropped two sets so far. “The first two sets were under control and then he started playing deeper and more aggressively. That was really difficult for me.”
Dzumhur was treated on his right leg Friday during a fall in the second round and injured his left knee and was switched 3-2 down on the third set. He then lay on the ground, and the trainer worked on both feet for a few minutes.
Dzumhur then cheered once more when he won the third set, despite his unbalancedness, and when he defeated Alcaraz in the opening game of the fourth set.
It seemed like an unlikely turnaround was happening as Alcaraz made a clumsy error, hitting everyday-looking winners for a long time, or forcing shots with a normally accurate forehand. At one point in the fourth set, Alcaraz stared at the clay in frustration after sending the rushing forehand path.
However, the four-time Grand Slam singles champions helped the match back in the sixth and eighth games.
Still, the elastic Dzumhur, whose face turned red with effort and sweat, sparkling faces, broke to drag the suspense a little more.
“That’s why it’s difficult to get a grand slam because you have to keep the focus for three or four hours,” Alcaraz said. “I didn’t really enjoy it.”
Alcaraz finally scored the victory in his second match point, facing No. 13 Ben Shelton in the fourth round.
Alcaraz leads 2-0 in a career match with 22-year-old Shelton, but has never met with Clay.
“I’m guessing the centre court in the defending champion, 16 rounds. It’s a pretty cool opportunity and a pretty cool experience,” Shelton said.
No. 12 Tommy Paul sets five sets of Karen Khachanoff on Friday, with 15th-ranked Francis Tiafoe defeating 23rd Sebastian Korda 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-4 in the US for the first time since 1995 to win three men in the French Open four rounds.
If qualifier Ethan Quinn wins on Saturday, there will be four American men in Paris in the second week for the first time since 1991.
On Friday of the other men’s third round, Italian No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti defeated Mariano Navone, while Denmark’s No. 10 Holger Rune defeated Frenchman Quentin Harris in five sets.
Australia’s No. 25 Alexei Popilin also made his way.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
