Paris [France], May 31 : Carlos Alcaraz overcame a spirited challenge spell on Friday at Roland Garros to keep his title defence on track. After a commanding start, the Spaniard had to dig deep to defeat Bosnia-Herzegovina's Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in a tense, three-hour-and-14-minute battle, according to the official website of ATP.
The 22-year-old found himself trailing by a break early in the fourth set but managed to steady himself and regain control. Serving for the match at 5-4, Alcaraz was broken, only to immediately break and seal victory to move into the fourth round.
Alcaraz opened with intent, dictating rallies with blistering forehands, some clocking over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). Despite Dzumhur creating break point chances in every set, he converted just one of his first eight opportunities, allowing late drama to unfold on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Dzumhur showcased resilience and variety, stepping inside the baseline to go on the offensive. His well-timed backhand winners down the line and moved forward to put Alcaraz under pressure, where the Spaniard looked unsettled and made uncharacteristic errors.
Alcaraz, after missing his first nine break chances, finally capitalized to break back and end Dzumhur's resurgence. The World No. 2 converted seven of 21 break chances overall and wrapped up the match with 52 winners, 38 of them from his forehand.
Since May last year, Alcaraz has posted a stellar 30-2 record on clay, a run that includes his first Roland Garros title and a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In 2025, he has already claimed ATP Masters 1000 titles on clay in Monte-Carlo and Rome.
The four-time Grand Slam champion now sets up a high-stakes fourth-round clash with 13th seed Ben Shelton. Alcaraz is aiming to become the first man since Rafael Nadal (2019-20) to defend the Roland Garros crown successfully.
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