Tommy Paul has powered his way into the Roland Garros 2025 quarter-finals after dismantling fellow former junior champion Alexei Popyrin in straight sets. The American, seeded 12th in the tournament, needed just 1 hour and 51 minutes to secure a convincing 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 victory over his Australian opponent.
Paul, now 28, showcased the form that has propelled him to world number 12, dominating throughout against the 25-year-old Popyrin, who currently sits at 25th in the rankings.
"This surface hasn't always been my strongest, but I'm feeling more confident with each match here in Paris," Paul might say about his performance on the clay courts, where both players have historically performed better on hard courts.
Interestingly, this marks Paul's first appearance in the Roland Garros quarter-finals, though not his best Grand Slam result – he reached the Australian Open semi-finals back in 2023. The 2015 Roland Garros junior champion is now the first player to secure a spot in the men's singles quarter-finals of this year's tournament.
According to Statbet analysis, Paul's strong performance puts him in position for a potential rematch with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who holds a 4-2 head-to-head advantage over the American.
Paul's potential quarter-final matchup against Alcaraz would be a repeat of their Olympic quarterfinal clash at the same venue, where the Spaniard prevailed 6-3, 7-6(7). Though Paul would likely prefer facing compatriot Ben Shelton instead of tournament favorite Alcaraz.
While Paul can now rest and prepare, Alcaraz still needs to overcome Shelton in their Sunday encounter, scheduled as the third match on center court (around 3 PM). Can the American upset the odds if he faces Alcaraz again? His direct hitting style has troubled the Spaniard before, but defeating the tournament's top favorite would require something special.
