At the age of 19, Carlos Alcaraz has already won two ATP Masters 1000 titles and is one of the leading favourites at Roland Garros this fortnight.

Possessing an impressive physique that has powered his meteoric rise, the Spaniard let ATPTour.com into a few of his dietary secrets, also discussing his room for improvement in the kitchen and the Murcian kebab scene.

Let’s say you have to cook tonight, either for yourself or friends. What do you cook and why?
Right now, I’d tell my friends to bring their own food in case my food isn’t any good (laughs). And I would make them, I don’t know… meat and potatoes. That’s it. I just don’t know how to cook much. But, actually, I’d like to cook them a good baked fish. Yes, that’s it, salt-baked seabass with roasted potatoes. That would be a good dinner.

Are you that bad in the kitchen?
I only know the basics. Pasta, tortillas… I’d like to know more things because I like cooking, but I still haven’t had the time to learn.

Is learning to cook something you want to do or a real goal for the future?
I’ll do it at some point, yes. But in Murcia I live with my parents, so I don’t cook. If I live on my own one day, yes, I’d like to learn to cook for myself and cook for people who come over. Also, to look after myself in that regard when I’m in Murcia.

Are you strict with your diet?
I don’t follow a diet as such, but I do try to look after myself. I’ve really learnt what’s good for my career, and what isn’t. But when I have to go on a bit of a diet, I do.

How have you learned to identify what is good for you to eat?
I don’t really have a nutritionist, but my physio, Juanjo Moreno, knows a lot. He is a really curious guy and he tries to study nutrition and gives me advice at tournaments. I’ve gradually learnt.

What is your diet like?
I eat a lot of fish, more than meat. I eat quite a lot of pasta, that’s good for athletes. And I’m lucky that I can eat a lot without putting on weight in terms of fat. It’s good for me to eat quite a lot, and that’s what I do. I also eat a lot of salad, a lot of rice… I love sushi! It’s so good.

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Do you have any guilty pleasures?
I’m not really into desserts or sweets, but when I’m in Murcia I do occasionally like to get my hamburgers, my pizzas… I really love that.

Is there anything you can’t eat?
No. I eat what I want… I really try to look after myself, but if I see something I like, I’m really happy to have it. There are people who won’t eat a certain food, but not me. I’m happy to eat whatever they put in front of me.

Do people poke fun at you for eating so much?
I just like eating… my friends say to me ‘You really eat a lot, but you don’t get fat, do you?’ And I tell them ‘You don’t eat enough, eat more.’ They say ‘It’s easy for you to say as you don’t put on weight.’ That’s how it generally goes.

What do you eat the night before a match?
Sushi, I have that a lot.

What do you eat just before a match and how many hours beforehand do you eat it?
I have a plate of mixed gluten-free pasta. That is, pasta with and without gluten, with a cocoa cream called Ambrosía that has olive oil and dates in it. I normally eat all that, more or less, one and a half hours before a match.

And what do you eat during a match?
When it’s match time, I normally have a bar with dates, egg whites and, I think, guarana in it. And I normally have bananas, too. I’ve been eating that for a long time, like a year and a half, and I really do like it.

What can you eat during a week with no tournament that you can’t when you’re competing?
There aren’t many changes. The only thing that changes is supplements. In pre-season, for example, I have more, but that’s it.

If you go to one of your favourite restaurants, what do you order?
I really like pasta…I don’t have a favourite restaurant as such, but if I go to a good one and it has pasta, I normally order it.

What would people be surprised to learn that you like eating?
Kebabs. I eat them a lot when I’m in Murcia. But really, I’m very simple. I don’t think I’d surprise anyone with what I eat.

Novak Djokovic extended his winning streak to eight matches on Friday at Roland Garros, cruising past Slovenian Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 to safely move into the fourth round.

The World No. 1 captured a record-extending 38th ATP Masters 1000 crown in Rome earlier in May and has looked in control throughout the first week in Paris, where the 35-year-old is yet to drop a set.

In a strong performance against Bedene on Court Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic fired 30 winners and committed just 18 unforced errors as he dictated the baseline exchanges to book his place in the fourth round for the 16th time.

The Serbian, who is making his 18th appearance in Paris, is aiming to retain his title in Paris after he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas to capture his second Roland Garros crown last year.

Following his one-hour, 45-minute victory, the Serbian will next play Argentine Diego Schwartzman. Djokovic will enter the match holding a 6-0 ATP Head2Head lead over the 15th seed.

In a confident display, Djokovic disrupted Bedene’s rhythm with his sliced backhand and looked strong on serve, losing just two points behind his first serve in the opening two sets. The top seed struck his groundstrokes cleanly, with Bedene continuously hitting the ball into Djokovic’s hitting zone.

The Slovenian was unable to harm the World No. 1 from the baseline in the third set as Djokovic continued to serve well and outmanoeuvre Bedene to record his 15th victory of the season.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion is in his record 371st week at No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, but his position is under threat from Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev in Paris. Djokovic will lose the 2,000 points he earned from the title on 13 June, as the tournament was played a week later last season, opening the door for Medvedev and Zverev.

Bedene eliminated Christopher O’Connell and Pablo Cuevas to reach the third round in Paris for the third time. The 32-year-old was unable to earn a maiden win against Djokovic, though, with the Serbian improving to 4-0 in their ATP Head2Head series.

The Roland Garros men’s singles third round begins on Friday in Paris, with the top half of the draw back in action after a day’s rest. Four of the tournament’s Top 6 seeds are in action in a star-studded top half of the bracket, including Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev.

All of the Top 12 seeds have reached the last 32 in Paris, the first time that’s happened at a Grand Slam since Wimbledon 2011.

In doubles play, top seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury seek a place in the last 16, as do fourth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos.

View Singles Draw | View Doubles Draw | View Schedule

[6] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs. [27] Sebastian Korda (USA)

If he is to reach the Roland Garros last 16 for the first time, Alcaraz will have to get through the only man to beat him on clay this season. The Spaniard holds a 17-1 record on the dirt in 2022, winning titles in Rio de Janeiro, Barcelona and Madrid. But Sebastian Korda spoiled his start to the European swing with a 7-6(2), 6-7(2), 6-3 decision at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters as both men made their Monaco debuts.

Alcaraz and Korda also met at the 2021 Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals last November, where the Spaniard won a straight-sets final. Their third-round showdown on Court Philippe Chatrier will be a third meeting in seven months.

Since that defeat in Monte Carlo, Alcaraz has not lost a match. The 19-year-old won back-to-back titles in Barcelona and Madrid and has extended his win streak to 12 in Paris. 

For the second time on that 12-match run, he won after saving a match point on Wednesday against countryman Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Alcaraz did the same against Alex de Minaur in the Barcelona semi-finals, when he saved two match points before going on to win the title in his home nation.

Welcome to the @alcarazcarlos03 show 🤯#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/fVbODNenSl

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 25, 2022

Alcaraz’s red-hot run has seen him rise to No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, with many pundits predicting him to rise to the top spot in short order. But the 19-year-old is handling the pressure like a seasoned veteran — despite the fact that a win over Korda would make him the youngest man to reach the Roland Garros fourth round since Djokovic in 2006.

“It’s great that the people talk about you, think that I’m going to be No. 1 in the world, but of course it’s a little bit [of] pressure on me. But I try not to think about it. Of course [to] be No. 1 in the world is my dream, my dream since I start playing tennis.

“So I’m working harder on it, but trying not to think about it.”

Korda booked his third-round place with straight-sets wins over John Millman and Richard Gasquet. With a win over Alcaraz, the American would equal his debut run to the fourth round as a qualifier at Roland Garros 2020.

[5] Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. [27] Botic van de Zandschulp (NED)

Nadal has cruised into the third round in typically dominant fashion, dropping just 14 games in six sets against Jordan Thompson and Corentin Moutet. The 13-time Roland Garros champion is two wins away from a potential quarter-final showdown with Novak Djokovic, a contest that would be a rematch of the pair’s 2021 semi-final, won by the Serbian.

The fast start is a welcome one for Nadal, who played just two clay events in the buildup to Roland Garros following a rib fracture that sidelined him for six weeks. In Rome, he lost to Denis Shapovalov as his movement was hampered by his chronic foot injury. But it’s so far, so good in Paris.

“Preparation hasn’t been perfect, so I didn’t anticipate a perfect start to the tournament,” Nadal said after downing Moutet for his 300th Grand Slam match win. “But [I] have been quite well. I am positive about the things that I did out there tonight. Of course there is room to improve and I need to improve if I want to keep having chances to go deeper.

“Tomorrow [is] another day to keep finding solutions and keep finding the best feelings possible. Let’s see. I am happy now. [It’s] just about focus on the things that I need to keep going to keep doing to be better and better.”

ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE 🤯

Congratulations on this major milestone, @rafaelnadal! 🙌@rolandgarros | #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/hpakQj8zYR

— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 26, 2022

Nadal’s 300 Grand Slam match wins are the third-most all-time, behind only Roger Federer an Djokovic.

Botic van de Zandschulp led Fabio Fognini by two sets to love before the Italian retired from their match Wednesday, confirming the 26-year-old’s first trip to the third round in Paris. Last May, the Dutchman qualified for his first Roland Garros and reached the second round as the World No. 154. Since then, he has shot up to a career-high of No. 29 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings behind a breakout run to the US Open quarter-finals — where he was the only man to take a set off eventual champion Daniil Medvedev — and a trip to his first ATP Tour final less than a month ago on the clay of Munich.

The Dutchman beat Casper Ruud and Miomir Kecmanovic in Germany but was forced to retire with chest pains against Holger Rune in the title match. All three of those men progressed to the Roland Garros third round with Thursday wins.

Seeded for the first time at a Grand Slam, Van de Zandschulp is gearing up for his first match against a member of the Big Four. He and Nadal will play on Court Suzanne Lenglen in what will be the Spaniard’s first Roland Garros match outside Chatrier since the 2021 third round.

[15] Diego Schwartzman (ARG) vs. [18] Grigor Dimitrov (BEL)

Diego Schwartzman and Grigor Dimitrov meet for the second time this season and the fifth time overall on Court Simonne Mathieu. The Bulgarian leads the ATP Head2Head series 3-1 and has won the last three meetings, including in Madrid earlier this month. Prior to that 6-0, 6-3 victory for the Bulgarian, their most recent meeting came in 2017 at Wimbledon.

Dimitrov blitzed into the Roland Garros third round with one-sided wins over Marcos Giron and Borna Coric. He dropped just three games in his first four sets combined and beat Coric 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round. The former World No. 3 has had big results on big stages already this season, reaching the Monte Carlo semi-finals in April and the Indian Wells quarter-finals in March.

The popular Bulgarian, who can match his best result at Roland Garros (2020) by reaching the fourth round, was asked about the impact of having full crowds at Roland Garros for the first time since 2019.

“I have always appreciated the fans, but this time they are part of it even more,” he said. “I think after such a break away from everything, especially the fans, it’s just great to finally see and feel that energy.

“I have realized ever since everything is getting back to normal… ‘Wow, this makes a huge difference.’ You feel the energy, and the crowd I think appreciates it even more. Also, that’s partly why we enjoy the sport itself. Without the fans, we definitely won’t be the same.”

Schwartzman matched Stefanos Tsitsipas and Zverev by battling back from two sets down to stay alive in Paris. The Argentine turned the tables on Jaume Munar in a 2-6, 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 win on Wednesday. 

The 29-year-old started the European clay swing strongly with a quarter-final run in Monte Carlo and a semi-final showing in Barcelona, but fell in the second round in both Madrid and Rome. He is seeking his fourth Roland Garros in the past five years, including a run to the 2020 semis, where he lost to eventual champion Nadal.

Best Of The Rest

Novak Djokovic continues his title defence against Aljaz Bedene on Chatrier as the Serbian looks to maintain his perfect set record this fortnight after wins over Yoshihito Nishioka and Alex Molcan. The World No. 1 is on a seven-match win streak following his Rome title run. Slovenia’s Bedene is into the Roland Garros third round for the third time, but has never advanced beyond that stage.

Giving it all !! ❤️ #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/FqynQREiGZ

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) May 25, 2022

Third seed Zverev faces American Brandon Nakashima after saving a match point in his comeback against Sebastian Baez on Wednesday. The German has been in fine form on the European clay, reaching the Barcelona final as well as semi-finals in Monte Carlo and Rome. Nakashima, making his Roland Garros debut, has won consecutive clay-court main-draw matches for the first time this season to reach the third round.

Ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime is also in action Thursday. After earning his first Roland Garros wins, he faces Filip Krajinovic for a spot in the last 16. In a third Friday matchup between seeded opponents, 10th seed Cameron Norrie battles 21st seed Karen Khachanov on Mathieu.

In doubles action, Ram/Salisbury face Miomir Kecmanovic and Nicholas Monroe, while Granollers/Zeballos take on the French pair of Adrian Mannarino and Albano Olivetti. Top seeds Ram/Salisbury reached the Roland Garros quarter-finals in 2019 and 2020 and have won Grand Slam titles at the 2020 Australian Open and 2021 US Open.

The last backhand from Steve Johnson had drifted long and Gilles Simon, graying at the temples, let loose a scream. The crowd at Court Philippe Chatrier rose as one and Simon, playing his final Roland Garros, basked in their applause.

A few minutes later, the weary 37-year-old slowly pulled the tape from his fingers and gazed down at the red clay beneath his feet. A small smile finally crossed his face as the weight of his epic achievement washed over him. In defeating Johnson 7-5, 6-1, 7-6(6) on Wednesday, the French wild card won his 500th tour-level match.

“Ah, 500,” Simon told ATPTour.com in an exclusive interview afterward. “It’s a nice number that I managed to reach it. I would have survived if I didn’t, of course. But, yeah, it’s one more achievement. To have 500 wins on the Tour, I am quite happy.”

Most Wins By A Frenchman (Open Era)

Before the tournament began, Simon – two match wins short of the milestone – reiterated that this would be his last season. He was asked by a reporter if he was disappointed not to reach the 500-victory mark.

“That’s not easy-peasy,” Simon said. “We will see. Honestly, it will not change anything in my life. Whether I reach that goal or not, it’s irrelevant.”

After dispatching Johnson, it seemed to mean more to Simon. “It’s a very long journey,” he said. “A lot of matches after 17 years on the Tour – you have good memories, bad memories, everything. I’ve been through pretty much everything. These numbers help you to understand and realise what you did.”

Countryman Arthur Rinderknech said of Simon, “He doesn’t look like the strongest or the biggest player, but at the end of the day, when I was young, I was watching him on TV and he was driving these guys crazy with his game. It shows how much tennis is a mental game and you have to be playing smart.”

Richard Gasquet, who with 574 career victories has more match wins than any other Frenchman, knows Simon better than most, having spent close to two decades on Tour with him. “He’s an incredible player. Everybody struggled against him,” Gasquet said. “He was playing very clever on the court. Never missed. Big talent. His ball-striking, forehand, backhand was amazing. Every player in the world can tell you he struggled against Gilles Simon. Tactically, it was very difficult to play against him.”

France has generously shared its tennis talent over the years. Henri Leconte was a 1988 finalist at Roland Garros, while Guy Forget went to five major quarter-finals and rose to the position of Roland Garros tournament director. Cedric Pioline reached two Grand Slam finals and, like the two aforementioned players, cracked the Top 5.

So, too, did Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a major finalist (2008 Australian Open), winner of 18 titles and more than $22 million in prize money before he retired earlier this week. Yannick Noah, the beloved winner of Roland Garros in 1983, won 23 titles and climbed to No. 3 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

And now, in the bottom-line business of match wins, Simon has surpassed all of them. The resilient Frenchman’s victory over Johnson made him only the 56th player in the Open Era to accomplish this heady milestone. For the record, he is 500-390, good for a winning percentage of .562. Simon has collected an impressive 14 titles and won more than $15 million.

^{Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images}
Incredibly, Simon and Hugo Gaston are the last two Frenchmen standing at Roland Garros. Simon, who last made the third round in 2018, meets Marin Cilic on Saturday for the opportunity to advance to the fourth round.

“Ultimately, I have been wanting to be a tennis player since I was a kid, since I was 10 years old,” Simon said. “This is the only thing I did. You’re not perfect. You can’t be perfect every time. It’s not a matter of wins and defeats, of ranking. It’s beyond that. If I were to give a judgment on my career, things could have been better. There are matches I could have won, but there are a lot of matches I could have lost, as well.”

He was born outside of Paris in 1984 and, encouraged by his parents, began playing tennis at the age of six. In his early teenage years a professional career seemed unlikely; Simon didn’t see a growth spurt until much later than his peers. Still, he admired the 5-foot-9 Michael Chang, who won Roland Garros in 1989.

Simon turned professional in 2002 – two decades ago. His first ATP-level victory came in February 2005 in Marseille, over Thomas Johansson. Two months later, Simon reached the quarter-finals at Casablanca before he made the main draw of his first major, Roland Garros.

His first title came two years later, at the Open 13 in Marseille, and it confirmed Simon’s ability to compete with the game’s best players. He defeated Lleyton Hewitt, Jonas Bjorkman and Robin Soderling and, in the final, handled Marcos Baghdatis. A second title (Bucharest) vaulted him into the Top 30.

A year later, after a second-round win over Roger Federer in Toronto’s Rogers Cup, it was the Top 15 for Simon. That fall, with a semi-final victory over Rafael Nadal in Madrid, Simon found himself in the Top 10 for the first time – and the No. 1 Frenchman, ahead of Gasquet. Simon qualified for the 2008 Nitto ATP Finals, surprising Federer in the round-robin phase, before falling to Novak Djokovic in a three-set semi-final loss.

In 2011, Simon won the biggest of his career titles, in Hamburg. He scored his 400th win, over No. 3-ranked Stan Wawrinka, at the 2016 Rolex Shanghai Masters. On two occasions – the 2009 Australian Open and 2015 Wimbledon – Simon reached the quarter-finals.

Simon didn’t have the dazzling weapons possessed by some of his peers, but he had an undeniable guile and a rare, intuitive feel for the game.

Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi described him “Like a professor on the tennis court. Everything about his strategy, his physical movement and everything. He put something different into tennis. He was not very powerful, he didn’t have a big serve. When he was at his best, his movement was so good and he put the ball in difficult positions.”

Countryman Benoit Paire also called out Simon’s tactical brilliance. “He’s one of the smartest players on the court,” Paire said. “He’s very talented because everybody says, ‘Okay, just play from the baseline.’ But what he is doing all his career and making the Top 10, like this is something crazy.”

“I did my utmost as best as I could,” Simon said. “Could I have done better? Yes. Could it have been less good? Of course, yes, as well. I tried to do my best all the time. Did I manage to be proud? Yes, sometimes. That’s part and parcel of a tennis career.

“Year after year, of course, you actually live every kind of feeling. Sometimes you actually lead and you lose. Sometimes you actually are down and you end up winning. It’s not a matter of the biggest tournament won or something. After 17 years, I have done my best. I gave everything I had.”

Iga Swiatek scored her 30th consecutive match win on Thursday at Roland Garros, completing her passage into the third round with the loss of just four total games in her two victories. Her dominance is making headlines as she continues to draw rave reviews from her peers on the ATP Tour.

“She’s winning very easy. That’s special and very difficult,” Rafael Nadal said in his pre-tournament presser. “I saw her play a couple of matches and seems like today she’s over the rest. That’s what the results say, because when somebody like her is winning the tournaments and is winning with these results, I mean, it’s something special, no?

“Happy for her. She’s fresh. She’s natural. She’s young.”

Wholesome content alert 🥰@RafaelNadal x @iga_swiatek #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/J1MMyKXxOB

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 19, 2022

Swiatek first broke through at the Grand Slam level when she stormed to the 2020 Roland Garros title without dropping more than five games in a single match. This season, she claimed the World No. 1 ranking for the first time in April and has won five WTA Tour titles on the season, proving herself a class apart from her competitors.

“It was a big surprise probably the first time, that couple of years ago when she won here,” Nadal reflected, “but the way that she’s playing this year looks unstoppable. But let’s let her play with calm and without an extra pressure, because probably for her, after the last results, [it] will be an important one here.”

Nadal offered similar praise in Rome: “She’s doing amazing things, no? Playing amazing and winning every single event she played, the last four in a row. Winning Indian Wells and Miami in a row, something difficult.”

Swiatek’s win streak now spans five events: Doha, Indian Wells, Miami, Stuttgart and Rome.

“Just happy for her,” Nadal added. “She’s very spontaneous and natural girl. Is good to have girls like this, good people like her having success.”

The Spaniard is far from the first ATP Tour star to sing the praises of Swiatek. Her countryman Hubert Hurkacz has called her a “huge inspiration,” while Andy Murray and Andy Roddick shared their admiration on Twitter during her run to the 2021 Roland Garros quarter-finals.

“Oh, my God. I would love to play mixed doubles with Rafa,” she beamed. “I think it would be really great experience. But when was the last time he played mixed doubles? I want him to be focused on singles.”

Paris-born American Maxime Cressy has picked up his first two tour-level doubles wins this week at Roland Garros alongside Spanish veteran Felciano Lopez, who eclipsed the 250-wins mark in doubles earlier this season. 

The first-time pairing improved to 2-0 with a 6-4, 6-4 win over 15th seeds Maximo Gonzalez and Marcelo Melo on Thursday in Paris. The American-Spanish duo dominated late in both sets, winning the final four games of the opener and the last two games of set two. On both occasions, they sealed the set with a break of serve.

Cressy/Lopez won 78 per cent (28/36) of their first-serve points and saved one of two break points against them in the match, holding in nine of their 10 service games, including their last eight. They await the winner of Friday’s second round matchup that pits top seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury against Miomir Kecmanovic and Nicholas Monroe.

Also advancing to the last 16 on Thursday were second-seeded Croatians Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic, 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-2 winners against Robin Haase and Raven Klaasen. After back-to-back defeats in Munich and Madrid, last year’s No. 1 team has won 11 consecutive matches, including title runs in Rome and Geneva.

Sixth seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski were more clinical in a 6-3, 6-2 win over Hunter Reese and Ramkumar Ramanathan.