Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz turned a post-match interview into a mini concert at Roland Garros following his second-round victory over Fabian Marozsan, 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.
After a brief chat with Mats Wilander on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the 22-year-old Spaniard surprised fans by saying, "One thing, one thing. I always wanted to do that. I hope everyone can follow me." Then he leaned into the mic and broke into the familiar Spanish paso doble refrain: "Po-po-po-po-po-po po-lolo." The crowd roared back with a triumphant "Ole!", before Alcaraz embraced Wilander amid applause.
Alcaraz's love for the red clay is clear—he's won 29 of his last 31 matches here—and he'll meet unseeded Damir Dzumhur in the third round. "I just love it here and had some really great moments," he said. "I hope people leave the court with a smile."
Ruud's Early Exit
Meanwhile, two-time finalist Casper Ruud, hampered by a persistent left knee issue and pain medication, saw his run end abruptly. Unseeded Nuno Borges, ranked 41st, defeated the No. 7 seed 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-0, becoming the first Portuguese man to reach the French Open's third round. Ruud's knee pain flared in the opening set, and he couldn't recover, bowing out earlier than any of his past four Paris campaigns.
Reference(s):
Alcaraz sings to French Open fans after winning second-round match
cgtn.com
