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It was a bustling day on the courts of Roland Garros, featuring former, future, and current stars of the tennis world.
First in line was Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, making his Olympic debut, who advanced to the semifinals after defeating American Tommy Paul 6-3, 7-6(7) in an exciting match filled with remarkable comebacks from both players.
Alcaraz and Paul had faced each other five times prior to their Olympic clash on Thursday, with Alcaraz holding the advantage with three wins. However, there was a sense of anticipation between the two players. Alcaraz secured the first set 6-3 in 39 minutes, but Paul made a strong comeback in the second set. Despite Paul taking a 3-0 lead over Alcaraz, a rare achievement, Alcaraz fought back. Trailing 5-2, Alcaraz seemed on the brink of a third set.
But then, it was Alcaraz’s turn to shine. He halted Paul’s momentum, holding at 5-3 and then 5-4. As Alcaraz leveled the set at 5-5, Paul’s earlier surge faded into the background. Nevertheless, Paul had more left in him. He won the next game without Alcaraz scoring a single point, ensuring at least a tiebreak.
The tiebreak was a thrilling affair. Tied at 3-3 after six points, Alcaraz won the next two, only for Paul to stage another comeback to level at 5-5. Alcaraz had a match point at 6-5, but Paul caught up once again. Paul took a 7-6 lead and had a chance to win the set with the next point, but Alcaraz managed to equalize. Eventually, Alcaraz scored two consecutive points to win the tiebreak 9-7, along with the set and the match. He secured a spot in the semifinals and is set to compete for a medal, though victory is not guaranteed. He will face either Casper Ruud of Norway or Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in the semifinals.
Novak Djokovic progresses
Later on Thursday, Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets to advance to a semifinal match against Lorenzo Musetti on Friday. However, Djokovic experienced issues with his knee, for which he had undergone surgery after withdrawing from the French Open in early June.
“I’m worried about the condition of the knee,” Djokovic stated. “I can’t provide exact information as I don’t have it. I need to assess the knee now with my physio and the tournament’s medical team. Then we’ll see.”
U.S. Medal Standings
Each tennis category is heading towards the conclusion, providing a clearer view of American medal prospects. With Paul being the last American contender in men’s and women’s singles, no medals are secured in those events. The same goes for women’s doubles (Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula’s defeat) and mixed doubles (Gauff and Taylor Fritz’s loss).
However, the U.S. has better luck in men’s doubles. Paul and Fritz, longtime friends, defeated Great Britain’s Andy Murray and Daniel Evans in the quarterfinals on Thursday. Additionally, the lesser-known pair of Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram, both doubles specialists (Ram being a six-time Grand Slam doubles champion), have reached the finals and are guaranteed a gold or silver medal.
Murray’s Retirement
Murray and Evans’ defeat to Paul and Fritz in straight sets on Thursday marked the end of the 37-year-old Murray’s illustrious career. The nine-time Grand Slam champion had announced before the Paris Games that the 2024 Olympics would be his final tournament. Murray had won the gold medal in men’s singles at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.
“I’m not sure what the future holds for me, but I will remain connected to the sport,” Murray mentioned regarding retirement before the Games began. “Initially, I want to be at home with my family. I want to spend a lot of time with my kids and my wife, so I won’t be on the road much, I know that.”
Naturally, Murray, who left the court in tears on Thursday night, added a touch of British humor to the situation on X.
Never even liked tennis anyway.
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) August 1, 2024