Musetti up against 'inspiration' Alcaraz for quarter-final spot in Paris

Friends as well as rivals, Lorenzo Musetti and Carlos Alcaraz are looking forward to meeting in the French Open fourth round on Sunday after the Italian 17th seed beat the Spanish world number one in their only previous meeting.

Musetti triumphed in a three-set classic to lift his first Tour-level trophy on clay in Hamburg last year, before Alcaraz won the U.S. Open and rose to the top of the world rankings.

"I see (him as) a friend. He started a (new) way, a new generation," Musetti said after defeating Briton Cameron Norrie in straight sets at Roland Garros on Friday.

"He won the first Grand Slam title after the big three, so he is an inspiration for us - for me, Holger (Rune), Jannik (Sinner), and whoever is behind him, and trying to push him and to get closer.

"The match in Hamburg gave me a lot of confidence... Of course, it's a completely different position, different status but I think we will enjoy our match."

Musetti, who reached the fourth round in Paris on his Grand Slam debut in 2021, has yet to drop a set at this year's Roland Garros and upset Novak Djokovic in Monte Carlo in April.

Despite demolishing Canadian Denis Shapovalov in three sets on Friday, Alcaraz said he was expecting a hard match against Musetti.

"It's a big challenge for me," the Spaniard said. "I remember the match in Hamburg. It was really, really tough. He's a really talented player.

"I know him very well. We played tournaments when we were kids... It's going to be a really fun match."

Alcaraz, bidding to win his first French Open title, is on course for a potential meeting with Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals and Djokovic in the semi-finals.

World number three Djokovic resumes his quest for a record 23rd major against Juan Pablo Varillas,