PARIS, June 4 — Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz bid to move one step closer to a French Open semi-final showdown, while Elina Svitolina attempts to reach her fourth Roland Garros quarter-final today.
Here, AFP Sport takes a look ahead at three standout matches on the eighth day of the 2023 tournament (x denotes seeded player):
Novak Djokovic (SRB x3) v Juan Pablo Varillas (PER)
Djokovic struggled for his best form during the first week at Roland Garros but still reached the last 16 without dropping a set.
Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas has won three five-setters to make the fourth round despite his lowly ranking of 94th.
He has knocked out top-20 seeds Roberto Bautista Agut and Hubert Hurkacz in his last two matches but would need something even more special to trouble Djokovic.
The Serb star, chasing a men’s record 23rd Grand Slam singles title, endured some nervy moments in the third round against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, needing two hours and 47 minutes to take the first two sets in tie-breaks.
The 36-year-old said he is carrying several injury problems.
“We don’t have much time to start to name the many injuries I have, and the list is quite long,” said Djokovic, who is bidding to reach the quarter-finals for a 14th straight year.
“I don’t want to sit here and talk about these things that are not preventing me from playing. I still kept on playing.”
The winner of this match would face either Russian 11th seed Karen Khachanov, who has only beaten Djokovic once in nine meetings, or Italian Lorenzo Sonego in the last eight.
Carlos Alcaraz (ESP x1) v Lorenzo Musetti (ITA x17)
Alcaraz has cruised into the second week looking every part the tournament favourite.
The world number one was expected to face a tough test against former top-10 player Denis Shapovalov in the third round, but dropped only seven games in a scintillating performance.
Musetti has also not lost a set yet, though, and was equally dominant in his previous match against British number one Cameron Norrie.
The 21-year-old Italian has proven to be a dangerous player on clay in his young career, having also reached the last 16 in 2021 when he led Djokovic by two sets before retiring injured in the fifth.
The world number 18 beat Djokovic en route to the Monte Carlo Masters quarter-finals earlier year and won his only previous ATP match against Alcaraz in the 2022 Hamburg final.
“I remember the match in Hamburg,” said Alcaraz. “It was really, really tough. This is a match that I was really looking for, really want to play that match.”
Daria Kasatkina (x9) v Elina Svitolina (UKR)
Former world number three Svitolina has enjoyed a dream run so far in her first Grand Slam tournament since the 2022 Australian Open, following maternity leave and a break due to mental exhaustion after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
She has refused to shake the hands of Russian opponents on the WTA Tour, but has called Kasatkina “brave” for being more outspoken regarding the conflict than her Russian compatriots.
“I’m thankful to Dasha for taking this position. That’s what you expect from others, as well. It’s really brave from her,” said Svitolina.
Kasatkina has endured a miserable time on court against Svitolina in the past, losing all six of their matches while only winning two sets.
She reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros last year, though, having her run ended by eventual champion Iga Swiatek. — AFP
