OUTSIDE of a couple of one-sided contest, there was a lot to like about the future of the ATP Tour at the Roland Garros, as the youngest remaining member in the men’s draw booked his spot in the quarter finals, and another went all the way with a top contender, only to fall short.

Next Gen ATP Finals winner Jannik Sinner was able to book his spot in the quarter finals after an upset 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-3 victory over Germany’s Alexander Zverev. Coming off a US Open final where he had match points to win his first major title, the up and comer was overwhelmed by the German in the Round of 16.

The 2020 Roland Garros marked Sinner’s first for his career with the 19-year-old having all the say with almost double the winners (39-20) and leaving Zverev wondering what could have been. The Italian also won 72 per cent of his net points and 39 per cent of his receiving points against such a big server as Zverev was reduced to just three aces for the match. It allowed Sinner to break five times to two in the three-hour and one-minute clash.

“It has been tough. We have practised sometimes in Monaco, so we know [each other] quite well,” Sinner said-post match. “Today was very tough, knowing that it was going to be a long match. At the end, I am very happy about my performance.”

The Italian also becomes the youngest player in 14 years to reach a Grand Slam quarter final since Novak Djokovic achieved the feat in Paris back in 2006. But Sinner is under no illusion of just how tough it is to try and defeat his next opponent Rafael Nadal, a 12-time Roland Garros winner.

“It’s not the easiest thing [to play Nadal at Roland Garros], for sure. I think the record he has here, I think nobody can beat that. He is super confident here,” Sinner said. “It’s going to be a difficult match for sure. It’s always [my aim] to go on court with the right attitude, trying to play [my] best tennis, which I have to do if I want to play [at] the same level as he plays.”

Indeed Nadal just breezed past American qualifier, Sebastian Korda in an hour and 55 minutes, 6-1 6-1 6-2 to reach another quarter final in Paris. The Spaniard was simply too good, and whilst he hit less winners than his determined opponent (15-21), he also had less than half the unforced errors (20-48) and won 59 per cent of his receiving points to break eight times in the dominant victory.

“I’m in [the] quarter-finals without losing a set and having very positive scores,” Nadal said post-match. “I can’t complain at all, so [I’m] happy for that.”

Korda said prior to their match and following his third round win, that Nadal was his inspiration growing up and he even named his cat after the Spanish star. After his loss to Nadal, Korda was still on cloud nine despite defeat.

“It was definitely the best moment of my life. It was super awesome,” Korda said. “After the match I asked him for a signed shirt when we were tapping rackets. I don’t know if anyone’s ever asked him for an autograph after a match, but that was definitely the coolest moment of my life and one I’ll never forget.”

Nadal said he was humbled by the experience and to be an inspiration in that way.

“It is a real honour [to have inspired Sebastian],” Nadal said. “All of my generation tried very hard to be passionate, to play every single day trying our best and if that is a good inspiration for the young generation that is good. “I am very happy for that.

“I really believe that we are a looking at a great player [in Sebastian]. “He is young. “Of course, he had some mistakes in some important moments, but the way that he hit the ball was really impressive.”

Up the other end of the half, Argentinian Diego Schwartzman also strolled into a quarter final with yet another straight sets win, this time over Lorenzo Sonego. Schwartzman won 6-1 6-3 6-4 to advance through to the quarter finals and put his first round exit at Flushing Meadows behind him. His good form on clay since – seeing him reach the final at Rome and defeating Nadal along the way in that tournament – has him up against one of the best clay courters going around in third seed Dominic Thiem.

“I am very happy, because I didn’t arrive to the clay season playing very well and I didn’t expect to [reach] the final in Rome [and] the quarter-finals here, not losing a set,” Schwartzman said post-match.

Now Schwartzman is through to his second quarter final in three years at Paris, and his fourth Grand Slam quarter final overall.

“It was a really tough match…. I didn’t start very well with many mistakes in just three games, [including] a few double faults. I was really nervous at the beginning. “The rain two years ago did not help me against Rafa [in the quarter-finals] but this year it helped me to be clear and it was a very good match for me.”

No doubt many were expecting Thiem to be Schwartzman’s opponent, but not in the way that the Austrian had to do it, fighting off a future star in Frenchman Hugo Gaston. Thiem looked comfortable early, winning the first two sets, before the last of the home nation competitors left fought back to win the next two and level the match courtesy of his drop shots. Thiem eventually settled in five sets, winning 6-4 6-4 5-7 3-6 6-3 in three hours and 32 minutes.

“I think it was an amazing match by both of us,” Thiem said post-match. “Haven’t seen for a very long time a player with such a big touch in his hands. “His drop shots are just from another planet, I was sprinting like 400 times to the net. “All the credit to him. “If he continues like this, he’s going to be a huge, huge player and make a lot of joy in this stadium in the future.”

Picture: Getty Images