French Open - 'I hope I can win it before he starts beating us all!' - Alex Zverev reveals chat with Carlos Alcaraz

Alexander Zverev believes Carlos Alcaraz will win the French Open multiple times but cut a relieved figure when sending the Spaniard packing this time around. Alcaraz headed to Roland-Garros as one of the favourites, but the 19-year-old’s run ended at the quarter-final stage as No. 3 seed Zverev won through in four sets.

Ad/> A tight match saw Alcaraz mounting a comeback after dropping the first two sets, but Zverev avoided the decider when winning a thrilling fourth-set tie-break 9-7. Roland-Garros'It took the pressure off' — McEnroe says Alcaraz's rise is 'best thing' for Zverev23 MINUTES AGO “I was s***ing my pants,” a rather honest Zverev said on-court afterwards. “I knew I had to play my best tennis today from the start on.

He kept coming back.” On his words with Alcaraz at the net, Zverev added: “He's an incredible player; I told him at the net that he will win this tournament a lot of times, not only once. I hope I can win it before he starts beating us all and we have no chance at all!" Zverev appeared relieved to avoid a fifth set, especially with Alcaraz seemingly in the ascendancy when the fourth set headed to a breaker. Alcaraz did not break until the third set, and come the fourth he denied Zverev when the German was serving for the match at 5-4.

The tie-break swung both ways, but after Alcaraz missed out on a set point at 6-5 up, Zverev converted his second match point to clinch it 9-7. Zverev downs Alcaraz in four and awaits Djokovic or Nadal in semis 'Alcaraz gets what he wants' — Zverev questions 'very interesting' scheduling French Open order of play, Day 11 — Swiatek v Pegula, Ruud v Rune “Carlos is one of the best players in the world right now," Zverev said in his post-match press conference. «It