Carlos Alcaraz Overcomes Dzumhur in Four Sets

Carlos Alcaraz edges past Damir Dzumhur in a four-set thriller at the French Open.

Reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz navigated a tricky match against Damir Dzumhur, advancing to the last 16 of the French Open with a 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory. Alcaraz dominated the first two sets, breaking twice in each, but Dzumhur refused to back down, taking the third set and pushing the second seed to work harder for the win.

The 33-year-old Dzumhur, who had struggled to advance past the first round of qualifying at Roland Garros in his last four attempts, gave Alcaraz a scare by breaking to open the fourth set, increasing the pressure on the second seed.

Alcaraz d. Dzumhur 6-1 6-3 4-6 6-4

Carlos gets his 10th straight win at Roland Garros

He started out dominating, but Damir came up with some incredible stuff and turned this into a real match

✅4th consecutive Roland Garros R16

Things got tough, but Carlitos is tougher

🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/k4VG4vaf7V

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 30, 2025

Alcaraz's frustration mounted when he failed to capitalize on three break points in the next game. However, he steadied to hold serve at 3-3 and then broke again to edge closer to victory. Though he couldn't seal the win immediately, Alcaraz eventually earned two match points on Dzumhur's serve and converted the second one, ending the Bosnian player's spirited challenge.

“Today I honestly didn't enjoy it that much. I suffered quite a lot,” Alcaraz admitted with relief. “That's why doing a really good result in a Grand Slam is really difficult because you have to maintain a really high level for three to four hours.”

Round of applause for Damir Dzumhur.

Down 2 sets to 0 against the defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, he showed so many great qualities.

For those unfamiliar with his story, he was born in the middle of war.

Before he was born, his pregnant mother bravely traveled through… pic.twitter.com/kGyhMVVxtc

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 30, 2025

Alcaraz admitted that he had to dig deep after his energy levels dropped following a dominant start. “It was really difficult for me to boost myself,” he said. “I had to give everything I had inside me. In the end I'm just proud about getting the win.” The four-time Grand Slam winner advances to face US 13th seed Ben Shelton for a spot in the quarter-finals, having picked up his 18th win in 19 matches on clay this season.

Ben Shelton, a semifinalist at the Australian Open, is among the four remaining American players in the men's draw at the French Open. He advanced after defeating Italian qualifier Matteo Gigante in straight sets, following a walkover in the second round. Shelton, currently ranked world No. 12, has had an impressive career, including semifinal appearances at the 2023 US Open and 2025 Australian Open.