Alcaraz is thru to the quarter-final of the French Open for the second successive season after shedding to Alexander Zverev on the identical stage final 12 months. This time round, the Spaniard is the world No 1 and a reigning Grand Slam champion on the US Open.
And the draw can be extra open than ever within the absence of Alcaraz’s compatriot Nadal, who’s a 14-time champion on the French Open and has solely misplaced a match on three events. The 20-year-old had beforehand mentioned whether or not Nadal’s followers had been pulling for him this 12 months within the absence of their man.
And he had one other message for his new supporters after beating Lorenzo Musetti on Sunday. “I really feel the love of the individuals, I do not know if they’re followers of Rafa who at the moment are followers of Alcaraz. I wish to assume so,” the highest seed stated after his 6-3 6-2 6-2 win.
It comes after a reporter instructed Alcaraz that the Nadal followers at Roland Garros stated they have been supporting him this time round. Talking after his first-round win, the 20-year-old responded: “Properly, yeah, I really feel the love from the individuals.
“You understand, I do not know if they’re the Rafael Nadal followers or not, however I felt the power from the group. I felt the love, you understand, and it was nice to really feel that.” Alcaraz had beforehand shared his disappointment that Nadal was compelled to tug out of the event.
The ten-time title winner stated: “I felt dangerous once I hear that Rafa, he was not capable of play right here in Roland Garros and possibly the remainder of the 12 months. You understand, as I stated earlier than, as a fan of tennis, as I stated, as a fan, you understand, I at all times to observe Rafa enjoying. I at all times wish to watch one of the best gamers on the planet enjoying the tournaments.
“And naturally studying from them actually shut, right here within the locker rooms, you understand, across the membership, the event for me is nice. After I hear that, for me, it was powerful, you understand, to know the way it’s gonna be, you understand, with out Rafa this 12 months. Hopefully to see him subsequent 12 months that he is 100 per cent, hopefully.”
For now, the 20-year-old is targeted on going all the best way in Paris this 12 months after he was thwarted within the quarter-final 12 months in the past. “We will play them as yet another spherical, with out placing in additional strain. The great factor is that now I do know what it is prefer to play a quarter-final at Roland Garros,” he stated forward of Tuesday evening’s conflict with Stefanos Tsitsipas.