Alcaraz battles ‘bad thoughts’ during tough win over Shelton

Carlos Alcaraz after his win over Ben Shelton in the last 16 at Roland Garros on Sunday. Pic/AFP

Carlos Alcaraz fought past American Ben Shelton in a tight four-set match to reach the French Open quarter-finals on Sunday.

Reigning champion Alcaraz clinched a 7-6 (10-8), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory after three hours and 19 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier to book a last-eight berth for a fourth straight year.

Alcaraz will take on Tommy Paul in the quarter-finals, after the 12th seed saw off Australia's Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. "Today I fought against myself in the mind," he said. "In some moments I was mad, I was thinking not very good things. But I'm really happy that I didn't let the bad thoughts play against me... I tried to calm myself down and keep going."

The four-time Grand Slam champion saved three set points in a dramatic opening-set tie-break before clinching it himself on his second.

Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev secured a place in his seventh French Open quarter-final on Monday as his last-16 opponent Tallon Griekspoor retired injured in the second set. The German third seed, who lost to Carlos Alcaraz in last year's final, was leading 6-4, 3-0 after just 51 minutes.

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