Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz delivered a clinical performance on Tuesday night at Roland-Garros, dispatching a hampered Tommy Paul 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 to secure his spot in the French Open semifinals for the third consecutive year. The reigning champion's relentless pressure proved too much for the American, whose movement and shot-making were visibly compromised by a heavily taped right thigh.

From the outset on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the No. 2 seed Alcaraz showcased his formidable form, needing just 52 minutes to capture the first two sets. His aggressive play resulted in a commanding 23-5 advantage in winners during that period, extending to 40-13 by the match's conclusion. Paul, despite flashes of resilience, was unable to consistently counter Alcaraz's firepower.

The third set saw a brief resurgence from Paul, who managed to lead 4-3, much to the delight of some spectators who chanted his name. However, Alcaraz quickly extinguished any hopes of a comeback, clinching the next three games to seal the victory in just over 1 1/2 hours.

Alcaraz, who is now seeking his fifth Grand Slam trophy, becomes the first reigning men's champion in Paris to reach the semifinals the following year since the legendary 14-time French Open winner Rafael Nadal achieved the feat in 2021. The 22-year-old Spaniard's exceptional form on clay this season is undeniable, as he improved his record to 20-1 on the surface and leads the men's tour with 35 wins and three titles.

In the semifinals, Alcaraz will face No. 8 seed Lorenzo Musetti, who earned his spot by eliminating No. 15 Frances Tiafoe in a four-set battle earlier on Tuesday. The remaining two men's quarterfinals, scheduled for Wednesday, promise equally captivating encounters: No. 1 Jannik Sinner will take on unseeded Alexander Bublik, while No. 3 Alexander Zverev faces off against the 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic.

For American men's tennis, the 2025 French Open quarterfinals marked a significant milestone, albeit with a familiar outcome against top-ranked opponents. Paul, a semifinalist at the 2023 Australian Open, and Tiafoe, a two-time U.S. Open semifinalist, were the first American men to reach the round of eight at Roland-Garros since Andre Agassi in 2003. Even more notably, it was the first time two American men advanced to the quarterfinals in the same year since Jim Courier and Pete Sampras in 1996.

Despite this positive sign for American tennis, the stark reality of their struggles against top-tier opponents on clay persists. Since Agassi completed his career Grand Slam by winning the French Open in 1999, U.S. men's players now hold a daunting 1-60 record against opponents ranked in the top 10 at the clay-court major. While Paul's injury undoubtedly played a role in Tuesday's defeat, the broader trend underscores the challenge American men face in breaking through on the Parisian clay.