Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credit: Victor Joly / DPPI via AFP 10:00 am, June 04, 2023

Tempting menu on the program this Sunday with the start of the knockout rounds at Roland-Garros. The world number 1, Carlos Alcaraz, will have to face the Italian Lorenzo Musetti while Novak Djokovic will try to avoid the trap set by the Peruvian Varillas. The evening night session will be feminine with a Sabalenka-Stephens duel.

Eighth day of competition this Sunday on the clay of Roland-Garros. And beautiful posters on the program with the first eighth-finals that will lead to a 100% female night session, a first in this 2023 edition. It will pit Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, world number 2, against American Sloane Stephens. Before that, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will scrap, respectively against Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas and Italian Lorenzo Musetti.

Key information

  • Start of the knockout rounds this Sunday at Roland-Garros
  • Novak Djokovic to face Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas
  • Carlos Alcaraz will have to face the Italian Lorenzo Musetti
  • Russian-Ukrainian duel between Kasatkina and Svitolina in the women's draw

Women in the spotlight

Out of 27 night sessions scheduled since the introduction of the system at Roland Garros, only three have been women's matches. The fourth will take place this Sunday evening and will oppose the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, to the experienced American Sloane Stephens, finalist at Roland-Garros in 2018. The world No. 2, winner of the Australian Open earlier this year and the Madrid Masters 1000 on clay last month, appears to be the overwhelming favorite.

Alcaraz-Musetti, the most enticing match?

This meeting between the world number 1 and the Transalpine author of a very convincing tournament so far promises a great show on the Philippe-Chatrier court in the middle of the afternoon. The Spaniard starts a time ahead of paper but Musetti seems armed to shake up the nugget of world tennis. This is evidenced by his quick victory over Cameron Norrie, 14th in the ATP, in the previous round.

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Djokovic easy?

The defending champion will face Juan Pablo Varillas this Sunday for a place in the quarterfinals. Falling to Poland's Herbert Hurkacz in the third round, the Peruvian, only 94th in the world, has shown remarkable tenacity since the beginning of the fortnight. In his first two matches he had managed to overcome a handicap of two sets to finally turn the tide and triumph. But after three games played in five rounds, doubts exist about his physical freshness. For his part, the Serb has still not conceded a set but had to work in the previous round against the Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina.

A Russian-Ukrainian duel in the women's draw

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina will face Russia's Daria Kasatkina this Sunday on Court Suzanne-Lenglen. A necessarily particular opposition given the geopolitical context. In the previous round, Svitolina refused to shake hands with her opponent Anna Blinkova, also a Russian. What will happen this afternoon in the face of a Kasatkina very quick to denounce the actions of Vladimir Putin? Response within a few hours.