"I don't feel like a favorite, I will be more nervous than usual" - Carlos Alcaraz on facing Jannik Sinner in French Open SF

Carlos Alcaraz has spoken frankly about his mindset heading into his blockbuster semifinal clash against Jannik Sinner at the 2024 French Open. The showdown promises to be a thrilling encounter as both players vie for a spot in their maiden final at the claycourt Major.

Alcaraz advanced to his second consecutive semifinal at the French Open with a commanding 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-4 victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas, extending his perfect record against the Greek to 6-0. With his win, the Spaniard set up a much-awaited semifinal clash against Sinner, who triumphed over Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(3) to reach the last four.

The impending encounter will mark the duo's ninth meeting on tour, with their head-to-head record standing level at 4-4. Adding another dimension to their thrilling rivalry, Sinner will head into the contest as the new World No. 1, having secured the top spot after Novak Djokovic's withdrawal from the tournament due to injury.

Looking ahead to the clash in his post-match press conference, Carlos Alcaraz admitted the need to adapt on the fly against Jannik Sinner, citing his impressive 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 comeback win over the Italian in their most recent encounter in the 2024 Indian Wells Masters semifinals.

"I really like having to find solutions on the fly to change the course of the matches, like I did in Indian Wells. I think I have been learning from him every time we have faced each other," Carlos Alcaraz said (via Punto de Break).

Acknowledging the "great challenge" lying ahead, Alcaraz also admitted to not feeling like the favorite to win and disclosed that he is anticipating more nerves than usual.

"I know that I am facing the great challenge of today in the world of tennis, so I don't feel like a favorite and I will surely be a little more nervous than usual. Since the draw was known, everyone wanted to see this semifinal and so did I," he added.

"Jannik Sinner constantly pushes you to the limit" - Carlos Alcaraz ahead of French Open SF clash

Carlos Alcaraz (L) and Jannik Sinner (R)

Despite confessing to his nerves about facing Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of the French Open, Carlos Alcaraz also conveyed his enthusiasm for the contest, sharing his aspiration to take the lead in their head-to-head record.

"I really want to face him, it's going to be a great battle and I would love to have that face-to-face win. He has gained a lot of consistency this year, he always shows a very high level on the court," Carlos Alcaraz said.

The World No. 3 lavished praise on Sinner, highlighting the Italian's ability to push his opponents to their limits. Nevertheless, Alcaraz emphasized his eagerness for the challenge, expressing his desire to test himself against the reigning Australian Open champion.

"He doesn't do anything wrong, he has an incredible ball strike, he constantly pushes you to the limit and it is very difficult to take the initiative away from him. I love the challenge of measuring myself against him because it makes me wake up every day wanting to be a better player," he added.

On the other side of the draw, Casper Ruud has advanced to the semifinals after Novak Djokovic's withdrawal ahead of their quarterfinal showdown. He will battle it out against the winner of the match between Alexander Zverev and Alex de Minaur for a place in the French Open final.