French Open men’s semi-finals: How they got here

Tennis News

James Richardson
June 8, 2023

Friday 9 June will be the day that the French Open men’s singles semi-finals take centre stage.

In the one match we will be treated to the expected blockbuster clash between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.

Alcaraz leads the head to head between the two players having beaten Djokovic in Madrid last term.

The other semi-final is a bit more of a surprise package with 22nd seed Alexander Zverev stunning many by matching his effort last season having endured a horror year between French Opens.

Zverev will take on Casper Ruud who is currently favoured to reach his third Grand Slam final.

How the French Open semi-finals were set

Paths and head-to-head record for Friday’s French Open men’s semi-finals (x denotes seeded player; players representing Russia and Belarus are banned from competing under the name or flag of their countries):

Carlos Alcaraz (ESP x1) v Novak Djokovic (SRB x3) –

Head-to-head: Alcaraz leads 1-0
2022 Madrid Clay SF Alcaraz 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 7-6 (7/5)
Paths to the semi-finals:
Alcaraz
1st rd: bt Flavio Cobolli (ITA) 6-0, 6-2, 7-5
2nd rd: bt Taro Daniel (JPN) 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
3rd rd: bt Denis Shapovalov (CAN x26) 6-1, 6-4, 6-2
4th rd: bt Lorenzo Musetti (ITA x17) 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
QF: bt Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x5) 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (7/5)

Djokovic

1st rd: bt Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA) 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/1)
2nd rd: bt Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 7-6 (7/2), 6-0, 6-3
3rd rd: bt Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina (ESP x29) 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5), 6-2
4th rd: bt Juan Pablo Varillas (PER) 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
QF: bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x11) 4-6, 7-6 (7/0), 6-2, 6-4

Casper Ruud (NOR x4) v Alexander Zverev (GER x22) –

Head-to-head: Zverev leads 2-1
2022 Miami Hard QF Ruud 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
2021 Paris Indoor Hard QF Zverev 7-5, 6-4
2021 Cincinnati Hard QF Zverev 6-1, 6-3
Paths to the semi-finals:
Ruud
1st rd: bt Elias Ymer (SWE) 6-4, 6-3, 6-2
2nd rd: bt Giulio Zeppieri (ITA) 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
3rd rd: bt Zhang Zhizhen (CHN) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-4
4th rd: bt Nicolas Jarry (CHI) 7-6 (7/3), 7-5, 7-5
QF: bt Holger Rune (DEN x6) 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
Zverev
1st rd: bt Lloyd Harris (RSA) 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/0), 6-1
2nd rd: bt Alex Molcan (SVK) 6-4, 6-2, 6-1
3rd rd: bt Frances Tiafoe (USA x12) 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1, 7-6 (7/5)
4th rd: bt Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x28) 6-1, 6-4, 6-3
QF: bt Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4