Alcaraz 'suffered quite a lot,' but advances in Paris

PARIS -- Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached the 4th circular of the French Open aft laboring past Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 successful the Friday nighttime session.

The second-seeded Spaniard had ne'er earlier played Dzumhur, a 33-year-old Bosnian who had ne'er been past the 3rd circular astatine immoderate large tournament.

"I suffered rather a batch today," said Alcaraz, who has dropped 2 sets truthful far. "The archetypal 2 sets was nether control, past helium started to play much profoundly and much aggressively. It was truly hard for me."

Dzumhur wounded his near genu successful a autumn successful the 2nd round, and had attraction connected Friday connected his close limb during the changeover astatine 3-2 down successful the 3rd set. He past laic down connected the crushed portion the trainer worked connected some legs for respective minutes.

The assemblage connected Court Philippe-Chatrier did a Mexican question and shouted "Olé" portion it waited.

Then Dzumhur received cheers erstwhile helium made an improbable smash contempt being disconnected balance, again erstwhile helium won the 3rd set, and erstwhile much erstwhile helium broke Alcaraz successful the opening crippled of the 4th set.

An improbable turnaround seemed to beryllium happening arsenic Alcaraz made clumsy unforced errors. But the four-time Grand Slam champion broke backmost successful the sixth and the eighth games to service for the match.

Still, the resilient Dzumhur, whose look was reddish with effort and glistening with sweat, broke backmost to resistance the suspense retired a small longer.

Alcaraz yet clinched triumph connected his 2nd lucifer constituent and faces No. 13 Ben Shelton successful the 4th round.

Shelton volition beryllium making his archetypal quality successful the circular of 16 astatine Roland Garros aft beating Matteo Gigante 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.

With No. 12 Tommy Paul's five-set triumph implicit No. 24 Karen Khachanov connected Friday, and No. 15 Frances Tiafoe defeating No. 23 Sebastian Korda 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-4 successful an all-American matchup, the U.S. volition person 3 men successful the French Open 4th circular for the archetypal clip since 1995.

If qualifier Ethan Quinn wins connected Saturday, determination would beryllium 4 American men successful Week 2 successful Paris for the archetypal clip since 1991.

In different men's third-round play Friday, No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti of Italy bushed Mariano Navone and No. 10 Holger Rune of Denmark bushed Frenchman Quentin Halys successful five sets.

No. 25 Alexei Popyrin of Australia besides advanced.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.