Roland Garros Semifinals Preview

Final Four in Paris: Legacy, Revenge, and Rising Stars Clash

Carlos Alcaraz has the chance to continue to plant his quickly budding legacy with his semifinal match against Lorenzo Musetti on Friday. Alcaraz, the 2 seed, comes in with an overall record of 6-1 against Musetti all-time. Musetti, another youngster who has continued to impress, is advancing to his first French Open semifinal and is looking to reach his first Roland Garros final.

Lorenzo Musetti has widely impressed with his performance so far in Roland-Garros. Taking care of business the first three rounds, he clashed with Danish 10-seed Holger Rune. Musetti showed maturity and consistency handling Rune’s aggressive play to achieve his first top 10 win at a Grand Slam, a major accomplishment. In a very controversial match with American-born Francis Tiafoe, Musetti showed his poise and confidence while handling Tiafoe in four sets. In what has gone viral throughout social media, Tiafoe was “baffled” when Musetti kicked a tennis ball in frustration that hit a line umpire.

Frances Tiafoe says Lorenzo Musetti not being penalized for this was comical

“He did that & nothing happened. I think that's comical. It is what it is. Nothing happened. So there's nothing to talk about. Obviously it's not consistent. It is what it is.”

pic.twitter.com/kdXcokmAeR

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 3, 2025

The subject of the controversy stems from something very similar happening to Novak Djokovic in the 2020 U.S. Open, where he was disqualified for hitting a line judge with a ball in the throat. “A really unlucky coincidence,” Musetti said.

Alcaraz Faces and Overcomes Early Challenges

There has been no surefire path for Alcaraz. Handling his first three early-round matches seamlessly, Alcaraz entered his first real test in 22-year-old American power hitter Ben Shelton. In a thriller of a fourth-round match, Alcaraz took down Shelton in four extremely tight sets. In the quarterfinals, Alcaraz handled American Tommy Paul smoothly in straight sets, dominating him with his powerful serve. Carlos Alcaraz has the chance to keep climbing towards greatness and etching his name with the greats of the sport.

Next in Line for Tennis Immortality?

His early rise to fame took off when he won his first ATP title at the young age of 18. He started drawing comparisons early to the greats like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. At only 21 years old, he is already striving to meet the standards set by the greatest of all time.

He’s not playing to prove himself-he’s playing to define an era. There aren’t many young players who appear so poised to rule an era. Before the age of 25, Alcaraz is attempting to acquire what Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic have accumulated over decades.

2024 MENS FRENCH OPEN CHAMPION ?

Carlos Alcaraz beats Alexander Zverev (3-2) and becomes the Rolland Garros French Open champion ? pic.twitter.com/8BmDQVVICR

— 365Scores (@365Scores) June 9, 2024

Rafeal Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer have a combined four Slam titles before they reached the age of 21. Carlos Alcaraz has already won four by himself at the age of 22.

The trajectory that Alcaraz has put himself on is one we have never seen before. He was the first teenager ever to become World No. 1. He has won multiple Slam titles on different surfaces.

The Match that Turned Promise into Proof

An AMAZING 5-set thriller saw Carlos Alcaraz win his first Wimbledon title after beating Novak Djokovic!#Alcaraz #Djokovic #Djoko #Nole #Wimbledon #Wimbledon2023 #ATP #365Scores pic.twitter.com/XZ4lWaYbaG

— 365Scores (@365Scores) July 16, 2023

The moment Carlos Alcaraz took down the reigning champion and icon Novak Djokovic in an exhilarating five-hour match on Centre Court at Wimbledon was a wake-up call to the world. Carlos Alcaraz did not come to play around. After winning the US Open the year prior, the 20-year-old added a second major title to his resume and became the third-youngest Wimbledon champion in the Open Era. What was quickly learned about Alcaraz is his drive to succeed and humbleness in the process were built for someone destined for greatness.

After the match, Alcaraz stated how “it’s a dream come true for me,” he said in his on-court interview afterwards. “For me, it’s incredible. As I said, it’s a dream come true to be able to play in this stages, it’s amazing for a boy 20 years old, I didn’t expect to reach these kind of situations really fast.”

As One Star Climbs, Another Must Defend—Djokovic Meets Sinner Next.

Novak Djokovic is no stranger to this spot, reaching thirteen Roland Garros semifinals in his career; winning three. Jannik Sinner, world No. 1, has reached the semifinals of Roland Garros the past two years but has yet to reach a title. Two of the world’s best, this will be a battle of generations for the chance to reach the title. The all-time series between these two headliners is tied up at four, showing how much is on the line.

Sinner Storms into Semis Without Dropping a Set

When you are No. 1 in the world, you already have a major target on your back, and to make it harder, playing one of the best to ever do it in Novak Djokovic makes this a match for the ages. The 23-year-old Italian has rapidly risen to the pinnacle of the sport, becoming the first Italian to be world No. 1. “I feel lighter after a year with so much weight on my shoulders,” Sinner said after his dominant quarterfinal win over Alexander Bublik in the quarterfinals. Sinner is looking to continue his special run, as he has not lost a set yet in any round, handling his competition.

“For sure I will go for the dream, because my dream is to win it, not to be in the semi-final,” Sinner stated.

Djokovic Stays Strong in Pursuit of Grand Slam Glory

At 38, Novak Djokovic is still solidifying his legacy as one of the best ever. To be at the top of his game at his age, looking around all of sports, puts him in the same category as legends like LeBron James and Alex Ovechkin, who at their age still dominate their respective leagues. His remarkable longevity and consistency has led him to this point, winning the first four rounds in straight sets. Djokovic currently has 24 Grand Slam titles, the most in men’s history, and is looking to extend it. He could also become the oldest men’s singles champion in French Open history, passing Rafael Nadal in 2022.

This isn’t just another major—it’s his chance to continue his reign in an era of budding threats and rising stars.

Djokovic handled Alexander Zverev, the third seed from Germany. Zverev started off strong winning the first set 6-4, but Djokovic used his consistent baseline play and elite defense to handle Zverev and his powerful serve the rest of the way. Djokovic’ advantage of mental toughness and experience over a younger Zverev, who is prone to inconsistency under pressure. Thriving in hostile environments and having an unbreakable will – is what makes Djokovic so hard to take down.

Having incredible mental toughness and emotional control doesn’t come without tremendous practice of these skills. Djokovic has talked about his daily meditation and breathing techniques that help him maintain focus.

“It helps me to get into the zone where I’m observing my thoughts but not judging them.”

Daily mental training, spiritual practice, and treating his mental fitness with the same priority as his physical preparation have all led to Djokovic success.

Paris Prepares for a New Champion—or a Familiar One

The Roland Garros semifinals will be a battle of contrasting styles and high-stakes drama. Each of the four finalists approaches the Roland Garros semifinals with a resolute purpose, driven by distinct ambitions and the imperative to affirm their place among tennis’s elite. All four of the finalists enter the Roland Garros semifinals with a clear goal in mind, motivated by their own aspirations and the need to solidify their position among the best in tennis.

All the players bring different traits, with Sinner’s calm composure and domination of late playing a factor for the No. 1 seed. Musetti’s iconic one-handed backhand and creative shot-making. Alcaraz powerful shots and chance to continue to break history. Djokovic’ experience combined with his steadiness and mental toughness. This is a battle of styles and legacies.

What will prove to be most valuable in the end?

Who do you think will emerge victorious? Will the legacy of a legend continue, or will a new star rise to claim the crown?