Carlos Alcaraz produced a masterclass performance to storm into the French Open semi-finals, dismantling Tommy Paul 6-0 6-1 6-4 in a mere 94 minutes on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
The defending champion was at his scintillating best, overwhelming the American 12th seed with a display of ruthless tennis that left the crowd wanting more.
Alcaraz's dominance was absolute as he tore through Paul's defences with 40 winners, showcasing the form that has made him one of tennis' most formidable forces.
The second seeds' victory sets up a last-four encounter with Italy's Lorenzo Musetti on Friday.
Reuters
|Carlos Alvaraz celebrated after his routine quarter-final win over Tommy Paul
The Spaniard needed just 30 minutes to complete a devastating opening set, breaking Paul's resistance in a lengthy second game before racing through the remainder.
The American's struggles continued in the second set, with the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd offering rapturous applause when he finally registered on the scoreboard after eight games.
Alcaraz maintained his relentless pace, breaking at will and breezing through service games to establish a commanding two-set lead in just 53 minutes.
JUST IN: French Open star avoids disqualification after hitting line judge with ball
Reuters
|Carlos Alcaraz beat Tommy Paul 6-0 6-1 6-4
Paul showed marked improvement in the third set, holding serve consistently until the ninth game, when Alcaraz secured the crucial break before serving out to love.
"It was one of those matches where I could close my eyes and everything went in," Alcaraz said after the match. "It was like my feeling today was unbelievable."
The 22-year-old explained his approach: "I was trying to give every shot my 100 per cent, no matter what it was. I wasn't thinking about anything else, I was just hitting forward."
READ MORE: Crystal Palace panic as majority owner looks to SELL his stake to prevent European disqualification
Acknowledging the crowd's desire for a longer contest, Alcaraz offered an apology with characteristic charm that was greeted with laughs from the audience.
"I know the crowd wanted to watch more tennis so I have to say sorry about that. I had to do my work!"
The Spaniard will face seventh seed Lorenzo
Musetti in Friday's semi-final after the Italian defeated Frances Tiafoe in four sets earlier on Wednesday.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Reuters | Lorenzo Musetti celebrated getting to the semi-final of the French Open after beating Frances Tiafoe
Musetti reached the French Open semi-finals for the first time, continuing his strong clay-court season despite a controversial moment when he kicked a ball at a line judge but escaped disqualification.
For Alcaraz, who struck 22 unforced errors alongside his 40 winners, this marks his third consecutive semi-final appearance at Roland Garros.
He said: "I'm really happy to be in the semi-finals again, for the third time in a row. I'm trying to enjoy this moment and hopefully keep it going."
The Spaniard is searching for his fifth Grand Slam, and his second consecutive French Open title.
He is the current Wimbledon champion, too, having won the tournament in both 2023 and 2024.