French Open 2025: Damir Dzumhur vs Carlos Alcaraz – Match Preview, Head-to-Head, and Prediction
The French Open 2025 continues with a captivating third-round clash between Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. The match, set for Friday, marks a significant milestone for Dzumhur as he returns to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in seven years. On the other side of the net, world No. 2 Alcaraz seeks to extend his dominant clay-court form and continue his title defense at Roland Garros.
Damir Dzumhur's Remarkable Comeback
Damir Dzumhur, a former world No. 22, has already turned heads at Roland Garros this year with two strong performances. Most notably, he overcame 31st seed Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in a physically demanding four-set match: 7-6(4), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. The 33-year-old survived a worrying knee injury scare in the fourth set, displaying grit and determination to secure a breakthrough win.
Dzumhur had not reached the third round of a Grand Slam since the 2018 French Open and had not won back-to-back Grand Slam matches since the 2019 US Open. This year in Paris, however, he’s shown flashes of his former top-25 self, and he’s aiming to make history with a deep run.
His third-round appearance at Roland Garros is his third in Paris and sixth overall at the Grand Slam level. Past third-round efforts in 2015 and 2018 ended in losses to legends Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev, respectively. This time, he faces a new generation’s superstar: Carlos Alcaraz.
Damir Dzumhur didn’t realize he won the match against Mpetshi Perricard at Roland Garros
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 28, 2025
The first time he’s made it this far in a Slam in 7 years & he didn’t even realize it 💀
Gotta love this guy 😂
pic.twitter.com/P2YE979PdB
Carlos Alcaraz: Roland Garros Title Defense in Full Swing
Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning French Open champion, has once again ignited the Parisian clay with his dynamic and explosive style. After brushing aside Giulio Zeppieri in straight sets in the first round, Alcaraz faced a stiffer test in Hungarian talent Fabian Marozsan. Despite dropping a set, the Spaniard bounced back with authority to win 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 in just over two hours.
Alcaraz’s victory over Marozsan marked his 20th career win at Roland Garros and his ninth consecutive victory at the tournament. He is currently 17-1 on clay this season, with his only loss coming in the Barcelona Open final against Holger Rune. That blemish is surrounded by prestigious title wins in Monte Carlo and Rome, solidifying Alcaraz’s dominance on the surface.
As he aims to become the first man since Rafael Nadal to defend a French Open title in the 21st century, Alcaraz continues to demonstrate why he is one of the biggest threats in the men’s game.
Tercera ronda!!! 🧡 @rolandgarros pic.twitter.com/pgxdajH6jg
— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) May 28, 2025
Tournament Progress: French Open 2025 Results So Far
Damir Dzumhur:
- First Round: Defeated Thiago Agustin Tirante – 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5
- Second Round: Defeated Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard – 7-6(4), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
Carlos Alcaraz:
- First Round: Defeated Giulio Zeppieri – 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
- Second Round: Defeated Fabian Marozsan – 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
Head-to-Head: First ATP Tour Meeting
Friday’s third-round encounter marks the first ATP-level meeting between Carlos Alcaraz and Damir Dzumhur. However, the duo crossed paths once before at a Challenger event in Barcelona in 2020, where Alcaraz overcame a one-set deficit to win in three.
This match will be crucial in setting the tone for any future head-to-head encounters on the ATP Tour.
Things are heating up as we get to the sixth day of competition in Roland-Garros 🔥
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2025
Full order of play 👉 https://t.co/c8DXWjGoNu#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/TZtL0THpUn
Dzumhur’s Top-10 Struggles
One significant statistic heading into this contest is Dzumhur’s prolonged struggle against top-10 players. The Bosnian has not defeated a top-10 opponent in nearly eight years, with his last victory coming against Alexander Zverev in Shenzhen back in 2017. Since then, he has lost 13 consecutive matches against elite competition.
Facing world No. 2 Alcaraz, Dzumhur will need to deliver a near-flawless performance to break that streak.
VAMOOOOOS! 💥💥💥 https://t.co/kXhia5MzG3
— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) May 28, 2025
Match Prediction: Alcaraz Expected to Cruise
Carlos Alcaraz enters this third-round clash as the overwhelming favorite. While he occasionally experiences dips in performance—evident in his second set against Marozsan—his overall consistency, power, and shot-making on clay are unmatched.
Prediction: Carlos Alcaraz to win in straight sets.
Dzumhur’s recent run has been inspiring, but facing the defending champion in his current form is a monumental challenge. Alcaraz is tipped to comfortably advance to the fourth round and continue his journey toward back-to-back French Open titles.
