Carlos Alcaraz's voodoo spell keeps Stefanos Tsitsipas in check with honest admission from the Greek

Stefanos Tsitsipas was well beaten in the Quarter-Finals of the 2024 French Open with Carlos Alcaraz accounting for him in a 6-3, 7-6, 6-4 win on Tuesday. But the Greek said that there was some 'voodoo stuff' going on in describing the mental barrier he faced.

Tsitsipas lamented this in his post match press conference with a general hoodoo that Alcaraz poses. He has won six times in a row against Tsitsipas on the ATP Tour. He started his French Open by defeating Marton Fucsovics 7-6, 6-4, 6-1. He then took down Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 and Zhizhen Zhang 6-3, 6-3, 6-1. Matteo Arnaldi was easily quelled in the end 3-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-2. But Alcaraz proved a step too far. Something that Tsitsipas laments.

He acknowledged that he always struggles against the Spaniard and that Alcaraz has the best 'ball quality' on tour with the powerful shots he produces taking the racquet firmly out of his hand. He said that the challenge that Alcaraz poses is like no other.

"I tend to believe that my ball quality is one of the best on the tour, and every time I get to play Carlos [Alcaraz], I feel like he delivers a shot quality that I don't quite get against other opponents, and it just brings me trouble. I feel like his shot is deep and has a lot of topspin to it, and I just haven't been able to come up with something good," Tsitsipas said.

"He, in a way, overpowers me, but he is also patient enough to do it in a very constructive way. I haven't felt like this on the court, and I haven't felt against a lot of players like this on the court. I'm just maximizing my game as much as I can, and I'm trying to hang in there, and with him, it feels like regardless of what I do."

"Hitting harder is not necessarily the option I feel like. He's a fast guy. He tends to get a lot of balls back that other opponents wouldn't otherwise get. He's trouble when you're playing him. You're always going to get a ball extra back, and I've missed a few smashes today and shots that I don't necessarily miss and haven't missed during this tournament."

"I just need to get through that mental barrier. I feel like there was some voodoo stuff going on today on the court. I wasn't able to just get the ball where I wanted. It's really unbelievable."