We will be treated to two great men’s quarterfinal matches on Day 10 of the French Open on Tuesday. Carlos Alcaraz will try to match last year’s performance, where he reached the semifinals, but two-time finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas is in his way. Meanwhile, Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner takes on talented veteran Grigor Dimitrov. Who do you think will reach the semis? Our writers share their thoughts on both matches with you. Predicting this match are Ateet Shrivastava, Damian Kust, Jack Edward, Andreas Pelekis, Jordan Reynolds, and Nurein Ahmed.
French Open Day 10 Predictions
Grigor Dimitrov vs Jannik Sinner
Damian:
Sinner showed a bit of vulnerability against Moutet, failing to avoid falling into some of the Frenchman’s traps. His groundstrokes weren’t really packing the usual punch on the day either and it will be interesting to see if that was just a momentary slip. Maybe Dimitrov can feel like he has a chance now and while not as creatively as Moutet did, he will also be hoping to neutralize the power of Sinner with his backhand slice. But if the Italian is hitting well, this can go awry for Dimitrov very quickly.
Prediction: Sinner in 4
Jack:
Dimitrov’s continued renaissance and Sinner’s form in his match against Moutet pose a few question marks for us to ponder. I still believe however that Sinner should be considered the best player in the world for a reason. He hasn’t looked flustered under pressure and will be up for a tight four-set battle against the Bulgarian.
Prediction: Sinner in 4
Andreas:
Sinner dropped his first sets of the tournament in his fourth round match against Corentin Moutet. It was a good test for the Italian, which should get him more comfortable with pressure filled situations as the tournament progresses. While Dimitrov played one of his best career matches on clay to defeat Hubert Hurkacz on Sunday, I feel that Sinner has too much confidence on the clay. Sinner’s heavy groundstrokes will provide a different style of play for Dimitrov, compared to Hurkacz’s big serve and touch.
Prediction: Sinner in 4
Ateet:
Grigor Dimitrov has been quite impressive so far, clinical in three out of his four matches including a great performance against Hurkacz which led him to his first quarterfinal at Roland Garros. Jannik Sinner struggled in the first set against Moutet but it seemed like a problem-solving issue, once Sinner adapted it went totally his way. Sinner is more familiar with Dimitrov’s game, and I wonder if the Bulgarian has the game to disrupt Sinner’s game on clay. Dimitrov must execute well on his serve and backhand to keep it competitive.
Prediction: Sinner in 4
Jordan:
How Dimitrov is able to protect his backhand is likely to be the biggest element of this matchup. Both players almost always serve and hit their forehands well. Dimitrov cannot use his slice as effectively on clay against Sinner’s consistent power from the baseline. That makes a victory for him a tough ask.
Prediction: Sinner in 3
Nurein:
Are the cracks starting to appear in Sinner’s French Open campaign? Look, Sinner would have given the tournament amiss as advised by his team of doctors but chose to compete. He’s got nothing to lose and might be World No. 1 without overly depending on himself. There were concerns the hip injury might have resurfaced in the match against Gasquet, and he dropped his first set at this tournament against Corentin Moutet in the last round. Dimitrov is far from a cushy draw. He’s a top 10 seed, and any lapses in concentration or a drop in level by Sinner won’t go unpunished. I’ll go against the grain and tip an upset.
Prediction: Dimitrov in 5
Carlos Alcaraz vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
Damian:
Tsitsipas has never beaten Alcaraz in five meetings and it does feel like a bit of a now or never scenario. After all, the Greek has been perhaps the best player of the clay season so far. Has Alcaraz managed to rediscover his game and fitness this week already? He’s looked fine and probably deserves to be the favorite here, but it won’t be as lop-sided as their clash at this very stage of Roland Garros last year.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 4
Jack:
Many are hoping for a five-set thriller but is anyone expecting it? Tsitsipas has shown great promise this clay swing but there remains a big gap between him and those with a steely backhand and powerful forehand combo i.e. Alcaraz, Djokovic, Rune. This match-up has been particularly unkind of those three so I’m expecting no more than four sets to close it.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 4
Andreas:
The pair returns to this stage of the tournament, as this match is a rematch from their 2023 French Open quarterfinal. Alcaraz won that match in straight sets, where he used his fast paced groundstrokes and dropshot to breakdown Tsitsipas’s backhand. I feel the same may happen on this occasion. Alcaraz looked flawless in a 6-3 6-3 6-1 rout over Felix Auger-Aliassime, and he knows how to beat Tsitsipas, evident in their head to head.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 3
Ateet:
This is a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal, where Alcaraz destroyed Tsitsipas in straight sets. Tsitsipas will be motivated to improve his performance and demonstrate his full potential. Before the tournament started, Alcaraz was struggling with a forearm injury but looks fine now. I didn’t see any significant change in Tsitsipas’s game this year that could trouble Alcaraz for a long time. The Spaniard will look to expose Tsitsipas’ backhand at every opportunity he gets.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 3
Jordan:
Tsitsipas faces a similar problem to Dimitrov with his backhand. Protecting his one-hander will be even more difficult against Alcaraz, who is capable of hitting with a lot of spin. The Greek’s serve and forehand combination has been the best in the tournament so far. That must fire again for Tsitsipas to have a chance.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 4
Nurein:
Alcaraz has a psychological edge here. In five matches, he has not lost to Tsitsipas. This is just a bad matchup for Tsitsipas because the Spaniard is one of those players who can generate his own pace even if the Greek will try to outsmart him with the use of slice and spin tactically. I expect the former finalist to push him and extend the rallies, but the writing is on the wall.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
