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Day 8 (Sunday, June 1) of the French Open 2025 will feature some of the most well-known names in the sport contesting their fourth-round matches. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will be in action against Ben Shelton.
The United States will also have other representatives aside from Shelton competing on Sunday, as Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe will also take to the court. The former will face Alexei Popyrin, while the latter will take on Daniel Altmaier.
Lastly, Lorenzo Musetti and Holger Rune will collide in a battle between two of the most solid clay court players of this era. With a host of exciting matches lined up, here are the predictions for the men's singles matches set to take place on Day 8 of the French Open 2025:
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#1. Carlos Alcaraz vs Ben Shelton
The showdown between the defending champion against the American upstart will grab most of the eyeballs on Sunday. Alcaraz has taken a roundabout in the middle of his last two matches but regrouped to win in four sets. Shelton was put through the wringer by Lorenzo Sonego in the first round but fought past him in five sets.
Shelton will be eager to prove himself against one of the best clay court players of his generation and book his berth in the quarterfinals here for the first time. Alcaraz bagged a couple of Masters titles during the clay swing and defending the French Open along with it would put him in elite company with the likes of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
The Spaniard's chances of winning this duel remain high on account of his stellar resume on clay coupled with his 2-0 winning record against Shelton. Read our in-depth preview of the match here.
Predicted winner: Carlos Alcaraz
#2. Lorenzo Musetti vs Holger Rune
Musetti has taken his career to new heights during this clay swing. He advanced to his maiden Masters 1000 final, ultimately losing to Alcaraz. He also made the semifinals of the Madrid Open and the Italian Open, and made his top 10 debut in between as well. He has also positioned himself closer to the top five with his run here.
Rune won the Barcelona Open a few weeks ago but his other results on clay were quite muted. He has put himself in the spotlight once again with his run in Paris. He has advanced to the fourth round of the French Open for the fourth straight year, a streak that commenced with his debut in 2022.
Both are capable clay court players. Rune has a perfect 2-0 winning record in this rivalry, though Musetti's current form could herald a change in the status quo. Read our detailed preview of their match here.
Predicted winner: Lorenzo Musetti
#3. Tommy Paul vs Alexei Popyrin
Both players are in uncharted territory after securing their spot in the fourth round of the French Open for the first time in their careers. While Popyrin hasn't lost a set thus far, Paul has been fighting for his life. He was pushed to five sets in his last two matches, battling past Marton Fucsovics and Karen Khachanov in marathon matches.
While Paul may be in the fourth round of the French Open for the first time, he's used to being in the latter stages of a Major. He previously made the semifinals of the Australian Open in 2023 and the quarterfinals of Wimbledon a year ago.
Popyrin, on the other hand, is gunning to reach the last eight of a Grand Slam for the first time. Their rivalry is tied at 1-1 and this will be their first contest on clay. However, the American could be tired after his herculean efforts, improving the odds of the Aussie's victory. Read our detailed preview here.
Predicted winner: Alexei Popyrin
#4. Frances Tiafoe vs Daniel Altmaier
Despite a runner-up finish in his very first tournament on clay this year, Tiafoe wasn't among the players in contention to reach the second week in Paris. He followed his runner-up showing in Houston with too many early exits. However, he has silenced his critics with his maiden appearance in the fourth round of the French Open.
Altmaier made the fourth round of the clay court Major on his debut in 2020. Five years later, he has achieved the feat once again. He needed four sets to beat all his opponents this week, including fourth seed Taylor Fritz.
Tiafoe hasn't dropped a set so far and has a couple of Major semifinal appearances, both at the US Open, to his name. That prior experience should come in handy in beating Altmaier, who has never advanced beyond this stage of a Grand Slam. Read more about their upcoming match here.
Predicted winner: Frances Tiafoe
