The poster of the day was scheduled for 9 p.m. with yet another titans match between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

But the two men scheduled just before provided the show during their own quarter-final at Roland-Garros.

In an exceptional encounter, Alexander Zverev ended up taming the Spanish prodigy Carlos Alcaraz (6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6).

"I beat myself up...I knew I had to play my best tennis today, from start to finish. I'm glad I made it," said the 25-year-old German.

"He was coming back strong... He's an amazing player, I told him at the net he was going to win this tournament a lot of times, not just one. Hopefully I can win it before he goes down. to fight us all and that we have no more chance", added the Olympic champion of Tokyo.

Semi-finalist last year on clay in Paris, Zverev remained on a heavy defeat against Alcaraz in the final in Madrid in early May (6-3, 6-1).

Solid service

By pounding his opponent's backhand, the one who had lost his 11 matches against top 10 Grand Slam players so far managed to prevent the Spaniard from imposing his game, his rhythm, his power.

Solid on his serve, the German conceded only one break point in the first set, which he saved, and he only needed a break to break away 3-2 and win the first set.

In the second, Alcaraz had a break point to lead 3-1 but failed to make it happen and it was again the German who took the Spaniard's serve to lead 4-3.

At 5-4, Zverev served for the set: loudly supported by the public, Alcaraz saved two set points, had a break point, but saw the set fly away on an ace from the German on the third set point.

Round three has long been indecisive.

At 4-4, Alcaraz saved a particularly important break point from a magic drop ball and eventually won their service game.

And it was on a new cushioning that the Spaniard caused Zverev to foul and won the third set.

In the fourth, the already high level of play is further increased.

Alcaraz offered the break to Zverev on a double fault.

Leading 5-4, the German served for the match but Alcaraz didn't let go and came back at 5-5.

The two men came to the decisive game, during which Zverev offered himself a first match point on his serve at 7/6, then a second at 8/7 which he converted with a winning return.

Another failure at the gates of the last four for Alcaraz

Alexander Zverev will thus play his fifth Grand Slam semi-final.

He only reached the final once, at the 2020 US Open, and lost to Dominic Thiem.

For his part, at 19, Alcaraz once again fails at the gates of the last four after the US Open last September (abandonment against Auger-Aliassime).

For his first Roland-Garros a year ago, the pupil of Juan Carlos Ferrero, ex-world number 1 and 2003 winner in Paris, stopped in the third round (beaten by Struff) after having stormed through the qualifications .

With AFP

The summary of the

France 24 week invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you!

Download the France 24 app

google-play-badge_EN