Carlos Alcaraz fired a warning to the rest of French Open field that he is getting better and better.
The Spanish third seed dropped only seven games as he dispatched Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3 6-3 6-1 on Court Philippe Chatrier to reach the quarter-finals.
Alcaraz, looking for a first French Open title, arrived at Roland Garros with a lingering forearm injury and having not played a match in three weeks.
But this is the man who pitched up at Queen’s Club last year having only ever played six matches on grass, and ended up winning Wimbledon.
“The most important thing is to believe in myself,” he said. “It doesn’t matter that I don’t have too many matches on my back and that I didn’t come with a lot of rhythm.
“After every practice and every match I’m getting better and better and that was easy for me. On Philippe Chatrier it is easy for me to play and it is better to get to 100 per cent.”
Alcaraz will face Greek ninth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last eight.
Tsitsipas fell a set behind and faced three set points in the second against Matteo Arnaldi.
But as the Italian began to run out of steam, Tsitsipas stepped on the gas and wrapped up a 3-6 7-6 (4) 6-2 6-2 victory.
