Alcaraz Battles Through Injury, Takes French Open Title Rematch
Alcazar advances to the French Open final once more - Alcaraz advances to French Open Final once more.
Hey there! Look who's back for another swing at the French Open trophy - it's none other than Spain's tennis sensation, Carlos Alcaraz! Alcaraz booked his spot in the Paris final, set to battle Italian upstart Lorenzo Musetti, after retiring from their semi-final contest due to a nagging injury. Musetti, too, had to throw in the towel due to thigh issues, forcing the match to end at 4-6, 7:6 (7:3), 6:0, 2:0 after 2 hours and 25 minutes of play.
On Sunday, Alcaraz takes center stage at Roland Garros with a shot at his fourth major title[4]. Standing in his way will be either Italy's world No. 1, Jannik Sinner[5], or the legendary Novak Djokovic[6], the record Grand Slam champion from Serbia, who square off in the other semi-final matchup later today at 7:00 PM (Eurosport).
Alcaraz has Rafa on his mind
When asked about his win post-match, Alcaraz expressed his sympathy for Musetti, stating, "It's never nice to win a match like this. Lorenzo has had an incredible clay-court season - I hope he recovers quickly[7]." Before stepping onto the Court Philippe-Chatrier, Alcaraz paid homage to the 14-time Paris champion, Rafael Nadal, by visiting the plaque of his footprint[8], now proudly displayed on the Centre Court, which was unveiled during the tear-jerking tribute to the King of Clay at the beginning of this year's tournament.
Underdog proves tough competition
At the start of their semi-final showdown, Alcaraz struggled to find his footing, mirroring Nadal's exceptional play at Roland Garros. Musetti pressed Alcaraz, continuing his impressive performances throughout the tournament. Alcaraz ultimately lost the opening set, battling hard for the remainder of the match. Despite being up a break twice in the second set, Musetti responded each time, forcing Alcaraz to vent his frustration by kicking his bench at 3-4[9]. The wheels started turning for Alcaraz in the tiebreak, where he powered ahead, ultimately securing the set. Musetti, already appearing fatigued, was unable to keep pace with the relentless offensive of Alcaraz, who took the third set in just 21 minutes.
Musetti suffers injury setback
Alcaraz's play grew even more dominant, leaving Musetti no chance to fight back. By the third set, the Italian contingent was already feeling the pain as Musetti looked more and more tired, eventually requiring treatment. Despite his best efforts, Musetti was forced to concede the match at the start of the fourth set, unable to continue.
- Carlos Alcaraz
- French Open
- Paris
- Roland Garros
- Italy
- Rafael Nadal
- Sunday
- Jannik Sinner
- Novak Djokovic
- Serbia
- Eurosport
[1] https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/jannik-sinner-beats-jannik-sinner-reaches-french-open-final-2025-06-11/[2] https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/64947849.stm[3] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2025/06/11/jannik-zverev-continues-dominant-form-reaches-french-open-final/[4] Roland Garros: https://woodyattwood.com/rolland-garros/[5] https://www.atptour.com/players/jannik-sinner-tour-profile[6] https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/tennis/2023/6/1/nole-djokovic-novak-djokovic-withdraws-from-french-open-2023[7] https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/french-open-carlos-alcaraz-injury-musetti-b2300535.html[8] https://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2023/06/08/carlos-alcaraz-rafa-nadal-paris-tennis/183682/[9] https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/37984662/carlos-alcaraz-crisis-session-bench-french-open-semi-final
- Alcaraz aims for another opportunity against Rafa, as he seeks his fourth major title at the French Open on Sunday, taking place at Roland Garros in Paris.
- Despite his victory in the semi-finals, Carlos Alcaraz expressed his hopes for Jannik Sinner's quick recovery, having previously paid homage to the 14-time Paris champion, Rafael Nadal, earlier in the tournament.
