Three American players have made it to the fourth round of the Roland Garros tournament, with Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul set to face formidable opponents on Sunday.
In one highly anticipated match, Shelton will take on the defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz. This clash marks the third meeting between the two, with Alcaraz having triumphed in their previous encounters at the 2023 Toronto Masters and the 2024 Laver Cup. Alcaraz, who excels on clay, recently added titles in Monte-Carlo and Rome to his accolades, showcasing his dominance on this surface. Meanwhile, Shelton has proven resilient, recovering well after a demanding first-round match against Lorenzo Sonego. He displayed his skill and determination by defeating Matteo Gigante in straight sets in the third round.
In another match, 12th-ranked Tommy Paul faces 25th-ranked Alexei Popyrin. Paul has been in impressive form, showcasing his tenacity by coming back from two sets down to defeat Marton Fucsovics and later overcoming Karen Khachanov in a grueling five-set match that lasted over four hours. Despite struggling with a groin issue, Paul’s performance has been commendable, and he stands poised to return to the ATP top 10 following this event, regardless of the outcome against Popyrin. The Australian, who has won all his matches without dropping a set, is expected to provide a challenging match, although Paul’s experience suggests he can secure a victory before facing potential physical strain.
Overall, the Sunday matchups at Roland Garros promise to be exciting, with American tennis showing strong performance on one of the sport’s biggest stages.