Tommy Paul defeated a Popyrin (6-3, 6-3 and 6-3) and became the first American to reach the quarterfinals of Roland Garros since André Agassi did in 2003. Ben Shelton It could not be the second, because in his way Carlos Alcaraz crossed. The Murcian tennis player is pure magic and imagination, with his anarchic touch, although to defeat the Atlanta giant (7-6 (10/8), 6-3, 4-6 and 6-4) he had to resort to a combination of his explosive game with the strategy. The head was decisive in the tiebreaker of a fantastic first set that went at 65 minutes. Shelton won his sixth game with a 230 kilometers per hour, his big weapon, but also has a right, especially when he can hit her comfortable and the parallel strip, with which he achieved many winners and that was hurting Spanish. It was a blow to avoid for Carlos, and in the key moments he did. The number two in the world was in tow in the tiebreaker for an error that he made at the beginning, and despite seeing 4-1 down he did not lose the concentration or began to play meaningless balls to quickly recover the disadvantage. In that delicate moment, you had to be more orderly.
He recovered the Minibreak with an Alcaraz Punta, which left Shelton for the soils, after a slip, but the American returned to the US to generate two set balls. The first saved the Spanish with a good serve, but the second was the rest, and Carlos endured one of those deadly parallel rights with the point at play until forcing the failure of his opponent. There was still a third, and Juan Carlos Ferrero’s pupil He looked for his rival’s reverse all the time. It was a very tactical and intelligent point to survive. A similar one gave him that initial set, as he cornered Shelton on that side of the two -handed shot, until he found the hole to attack the other.
Shelton put everything on his part. A respite was not taken despite giving that first set. He looked for the fast break, taking advantage of the fact that Carlos may relax and lower the level after the conquered. The first game of the second part And the American could not carry out any of the six breakfast balls he had. That was a dent in his moral, although not definitive. He managed to recover all the blows and continued in the fight. Mediated the second set fit the first break of the game and when he finally achieved his in the third, Carlos recovered it quickly. The American was always standing and the show was important among two young people who combined force with the left and skill.
Carlos had the meeting very well studied, which was seen from the remains. Against the first serves, it was placed very close to the bottom line, to try to block the shot that was going to come, a howbils. But with the latter, he explored the dimensions of the Philippe Chatrier. He went far, because what comes from the other side is a shot with a lot of effect. The Spanish waited for the ball to rise and go down again to hit it. Of course, that requires a lot of arm to, from so far, to achieve depth. And the shot, if possible, went to the setback zone. The general idea of Spanish also did not hide the confrontation because it is not always possible to play the opponent of the opponent, not even recommended, because it can be gaining more and more touching there. Of course, the decisive break of the fourth set, also came with two shots in a row to that right corner of Shelton.
Who did be the second American in Paris Quarters in 22 years was Tiafoe, Verdugo de Altmaier (6-3, 6-4 and 7-6 (774)). In that Roland Garros of 2003 (which was, by the way, the one who won Ferrero), Agassi did not go from the rooms. Alcaraz will try to happen the same with Tommy Paul, his next obstacle.