It hardly seemed sporting the way top seed Carlos Alcaraz dismantled the 26th seed Denis Shapovalov. But after their non-spat had finished, some old-school giant-killing unfolded on the outskirts of the Roland Garros industrial complex.
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Second seed Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus was allowed to conduct her post match press conference under special circumstances after approaching tournament organisers about lines of questioning from a Ukrainian reporter following her second round victory on Day 4. "I know that I have to provide answers to the media on things not related to my tennis or my matches," said Sabalenka in a statement that was issued to reporters. "But I did not feel safe in that press conference." The authorities have become a lot more sensitive about the the mental well-being of the players ever since so desperately failing to gauge the depths of Naomi Osaka's despair during press interviews a few years back. There will be ramifications from this course of action.
Express intentions I
When the powers that be ordered ordained top seed Carlos Alcaraz and 26th seed Denis Shapovalov as the Day 6 night match, they were logically thinking that the Canadian could give the Spaniard a run for his money. So they must have been as startled as Shapovalov who was given the runaround during the opening set. It was 5-0 to Alcaraz after 25 mins. Shapovalov saved two set points in getting on the board after 32 mins. Alacaraz wrapped up the opener soon after 6-1. The second and third sets were marathons by comparison and it was all over in two hours and 10 minutes. 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.
Express intentions II
Stefanos Tsitsipas was of a speedy disposition in his third round match against Diego Schwartzman. The 30-year-old Argentine has lost some of the zip and pep that took him up to eight in the world at the end of 2020. Tsitsipas won 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 in just over two hours. "I know it was three sets but Diego did a great job in fighting for every point," said the 24-year-old Greek. "He was not giving me anything." A last-16 meeting awaits the fifth seed with Sebastian Ofner after the 27-year-old saw off the Italian veteran Fabio Fognini in five sets. He'll be tasting the excitement of a Grand Slam fourth round encounter for the first time.
Grand Slam man
A third French Open title will give 36-year-old Novak Djokovic a record 23rd triumph at the four Grand Slam tournament venues in Melbourne, Paris, London and New York. But as he ages, the questions keep popping up about when he'll hang up his racquet. "It is challenging, more challenging than it was when I was younger," he conceded after his straight sets win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. "But that's why I think it's extremely important for an athlete to have clear goals and objectives long term, short term, because when you make a plan and you know what the big goal is, then it's easier to go on a weekly basis, on a daily basis, about your business." And success in his business has brought him prize money of 170 million euros since turning professional in 2003. "I try to have that clarity of what I'm doing and what are the tournaments where I want to play the best and peak. So Roland Garros is one of the four of those tournaments." Next up for Djokovic comes Juan Pablo Varillas who has never been in the last-16 at a Grand Slam tournament. We love a fairy tale but Djokovic out? As likely as the women playing a night match.
Dream stuff
By beating the 13th seed Hubert Hurkacz in five sets, Juan Pablo Varillas became the first Peruvian to reach the last-16 at the French Open since Jaime Yzaga in 1994. Lima-born Varillas has been on the cirucit since 2013 and has amassed 804,000 euros in prize money over the decade. His Grand Slam tournament showings have been miserable. A first round loss at the Australian Open in January and defeat in the first round at the French Open last year. But this year? A veritable surge. And a fourth round tie against serial champion Novak Djokovic on a show court. Exposure. Glory. Even failure for 27-year-old Varillas will bring a cheque for 240,000 euros. No, let's not think about stopping. Let's think big. A cheque for 400,000 euros for reaching the quarter-finals. And a Djokovic vanquished.
