Djokovic, Alcaraz Advances to French Open last 16 As Pegula and Rublev Exit

Novak Djokovic, the two-time champion, continued his strong performance at the French Open, reaching the fourth round for the 14th consecutive year.

While facing Spanish 29th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Djokovic endured a tough challenge but ultimately triumphed with a 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 victory on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Despite the competitive match, Djokovic expressed pride in his performance and credited his ability to handle the pressure. He will now face Peru’s Juan Pablo Varillas in the next round as he aims to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.

In another notable highlight, rising star Carlos Alcaraz delivered a remarkable performance, defeating Canadian 26th seed Denis Shapovalov with a dominant 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory.

The 20-year-old Spaniard showcased his talent and resilience, bouncing back after trailing 4-1 in the second set.

Alcaraz’s win sets up an intriguing fourth-round encounter against Italian 17th seed Lorenzo Musetti, who convincingly defeated British number one Cameron Norrie with a score of 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.

However, the tournament bid farewell to Jessica Pegula, the women’s third seed, who suffered a comprehensive defeat at the hands of Belgian Elise Mertens, losing 6-1, 6-3. Pegula, currently ranked world number three, is yet to progress beyond the quarter-finals in a Grand Slam tournament. Mertens will now face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the 2021 runner-up, in the next round.

In the men’s draw, Andrey Rublev, the seventh-ranked player, also faced an early exit. Italian Lorenzo Sonego mounted an impressive comeback, rallying from two sets down to secure a hard-fought 5-7, 0-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 victory. Sonego’s next opponent will be Russian 11th seed Karen Khachanov, with a potential quarter-final clash against Djokovic at stake.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, the Greek fifth seed and last year’s finalist, continued his quest for a maiden Grand Slam title with a comfortable 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 win over Diego Schwartzman. Tsitsipas will face Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner in the next round as he aims to advance to the quarter-finals for the fifth consecutive year.

In the women’s section, Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the last 16 without dropping a set, defeating Kamilla Rakhimova with a convincing 6-2, 6-2 victory. However, Sabalenka declined to attend the official post-match press conference, citing concerns about her safety following a request to condemn her country’s support of Russia’s war in Ukraine. She will now face former US Open champion Sloane Stephens in the next round.

Other notable results include Daria Kasatkina’s dominant performance, a 6-0, 6-1 victory against Peyton Stearns, setting up a fourth-round encounter with Elina Svitolina. The Ukrainian player secured her spot in the fourth round with a hard-fought 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 win over Anna Blinkova.

As the tournament progresses, the excitement continues to build, with players vying for a place in the quarter-finals and beyond at the French Open.