Carlos Alcaraz, the defending French Open champion, issued a lighthearted apology to fans after his swift 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 victory over Tommy Paul in the 2025 French Open quarter-finals, which lasted just 94 minutes. The 22-year-old Spaniard, known for his dynamic and entertaining style, expressed regret for the match’s brevity, saying, “I know you wanted to watch more tennis. I have to say ‘sorry’ about it… I have to do my work,” as reported by multiple sources, including posts on X. The crowd at Court Philippe-Chatrier, expecting a longer contest given Alcaraz’s history of thrilling matches, was left disappointed by the one-sided affair, though Alcaraz’s dominant performance underscored his clay-court prowess, marking his 100th career clay-court win.
This apology followed another notable moment earlier in the tournament during his fourth-round match against Ben Shelton, where Alcaraz displayed sportsmanship by conceding a point after inadvertently breaking a rule. During the second set, Shelton’s passing shot was out of Alcaraz’s reach, but the Spaniard’s flung racket made contact with the ball, initially earning him the point. Alcaraz immediately informed the umpire that he wasn’t holding the racket, leading to the point being awarded to Shelton, earning applause from the crowd. Alcaraz won that match 7-6(8), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, advancing to face Paul. His actions reflect both his competitive dominance and his commitment to fair play, endearing him to fans despite the short quarter-final match.
