Carlos Alcaraz defeated Ben Shelton to advance to the quarter-finals at the French Open.

The Spanish star beat Shelton in four sets, winning 7-6 6-3 4-6 6-4 at Roland Garros.

That victory put the defending champion through to a quarter-final against another American, Tommy Paul.

Shelton has not yet won a Grand Slam tournament but the 22-year-old still tested Alcaraz.

They matched each other game for game in the first set. Alcaraz did get himself to a break point in the seventh game but Shelton warded off the threat.

The two went into a tie-break and it was the American who picked up the first mini-break to go 2-0 up. Shelton then lined up one over-arm smash after another over-arm smash to finally beat Alcaraz.

He had pushed forward to 4-1 before Alcaraz started to close the gap. With one point separating them, it was then Alcaraz who miscued the ball. However he still managed to retrieve a mini-break when Shelton brilliantly picked up a drop shot only for Alcaraz to gently guide the ball onto the line on the far side of the court as the American toppled over.

A huge forehand from the American took him to set point at 6-4 in the tie-break. But then he couldn’t return an Alcaraz serve and netted within a rally.

The Spaniard squeezed him out 10-8 and then, in another decisive moment, managed to hold serve despite huge pressure from Shelton in the first game of the second set. Shelton secured six break points in that game, but Alcaraz conspired to defend them all.

It was Alcaraz who went on to break Shelton’s serve and win the second set 6-3.

Shelton made the first move in the third set. He got the break when in an extended rally a shot from Alcaraz clipped the top of the net and bounced out of the court.

The Spaniard hit back immediately. Alcaraz picked up two break points and, with Shelton striking the ball a fraction too far in a rally, Alcaraz pulled back that advantage.

Shelton cannoned an ace past Alcaraz to stave off a break point in ninth game. A wayward forehand squandered the advantage point. He got through eventually, holding serve under pressure.

He then snatched the third set away from Alcaraz with a timely break. On the first of two set points, against the Spaniard’s serve, Shelton blasted a forehand into the net. But on the second, another huge forehand from Shelton saw Alcaraz over-hit to give up a break and the set.

Alcaraz though broke Shelton in the third game of the fourth set and held his nerve as the American sought to fire back immediately. From 0-30 down Alcaraz found three quality points and then Shelton handed him the winner.

The Spaniard got a match point against Shelton’s serve, wearing the American down in a rally. Shelton clawed the game back to deuce though and blazed a mammoth ace through. They traded drop shots though before Alcaraz lobbed him to win a brilliant point. Shelton however took the advantage point once again and won through to force his opponent to serve for the match.

He did so. A fantastic rally eventually brought Shelton up the court and he put too much on his backhand. That saw Alcaraz take a 30-0 lead in the game. Netting the ball in a rally and a double fault brought Shelton into it but Alcaraz claimed a match point, which he put away with a sweeping forehand.

“I tried to calm myself in those moments when I was down and tried to get going,” Alcaraz said afterwards. “We brought the level to the top, saw some really good tennis.

“We stayed there in the whole match. For me it’s great having Ben around, great energy.

“I think we played really great tennis, really complete,” Alcaraz added. “He’s a really powerful player, he can make any shot.

“I think we both have huge respect for each other.”

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