Stefanos Sakellaridis completed a clear clay-court objective in Chisinau by winning the Moldova Open at the National Tennis Center. The 21-year-old Greek beat Romanian qualifier Cezar Cretu 6-7(1), 6-3, 6-3 in the final to secure the second ATP Challenger Tour trophy of his career.

On a mostly sunny but windy afternoon, Sakellaridis recovered after losing the opening set and displayed composure across two hours and 39 minutes. He delivered three aces, won 68% of his first-service points and claimed 52% of the total points to take the match.

“I am very happy winning this title,” Sakellaridis said. “My goal at the beginning of the clay-court season was to win a title on this surface and this is my last tournament on clay before the start of the grass swing. I was very focused this week and managed to turn this match around today.”

The victory follows his maiden Challenger title in New Delhi earlier this year and highlights continued progress over recent seasons. “That was great,” he said. “It was unexpected because I did not feel great about my game before the tournament. The day before it started, I changed my racquet and it clicked from the very first ball. I also had a good feeling during my first match. I managed to keep the momentum throughout the whole tournament. The support was also great and eventually winning the title was amazing, especially after coming back from 5-2 down in the final. It was very dramatic but created amazing memories for me.”

Arriving in Chisinau at a career-high ranking of world No. 197, Sakellaridis earned €23,750 and 100 ATP ranking points for the title, which will move him to a new career-high of world No. 153. “I would really like to continue moving up the rankings and playing bigger events,” said the Greek, who came in ranked No. 197.

He credited steady work and his training base at the Piatti Tennis Academy. “It has been good work over the last couple of years. I have been working on my game, and it has started to pay off. But there is still a long way ahead, and I hope that I can keep going and stay hungry for more. I would really like to continue moving up the rankings and playing bigger events.”

“It is a great experience there, especially with Riccardo Piatti, who has worked with so many top players. He is helping me a lot,” he said. Sakellaridis adapted better than most to the windy conditions and praised the new complex and the host city. Sakellaridis overcame “unpredictable” wind throughout the week.

“It’s my first time here. I went to the city center and it is very beautiful. I am happy to be here,” he stated.

“I believe a lot in my game. I can do many different things on the court. I can create a lot of opportunities and be dangerous during matches. But there is still a lot of work to do. I need to bring more spin into my shots, be more aggressive and also become more consistent on my serve. There is still a bit of fine-tuning to do, and then we will see what I can achieve in the future.”

Felix Auger-Aliassime continued his run at Roland Garros on Monday, defeating Alejandro Tabilo 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 to reach his first quarterfinal at the clay major.

The victory marked two milestones for the No. 4 seed. It was his first trip to the Roland Garros quarterfinal; his previous best showings at the tournament were fourth-round exits in 2022, when he lost to eventual champion Rafael Nadal, and in 2024, when he fell to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz. It also made him the first Canadian man ever to reach the quarterfinals or better at all four Grand Slam events. Not just in the Open Era, but ever.

In a match between Canadian-born players—Auger-Aliassime was born in Montreal and Tabilo in Toronto, though he now competes for Chile—Auger-Aliassime seized control early. He broke in the fourth game to lead 3-1 and closed the first set in 39 minutes. The second set was tighter; Tabilo produced chances, including a break point with Auger-Aliassime serving at 3-4, but Auger-Aliassime saved it, held, then secured the only break for a 6-5 lead and served out the set.

Tabilo held to open the third set, but Auger-Aliassime then ran off six consecutive games. He finished the match with a powerful backhand return winner after two hours and six minutes.

“My best match so far in the tournament,” he said. “Over the victory, it feels good. It feels good to play the way that I ambition to play in this game. Today, in a Grand Slam, this is the type of match that you want to play. I’m happy with my performance.”

Waiting in the quarterfinals is No. 10 seed Flavio Cobolli, who beat Zachary Svajda 6-2, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5) earlier in the day. Cobolli holds a 2-0 head-to-head edge over Auger-Aliassime, with both wins coming in 2024: Acapulco (2-6, 6-3, 6-2) and Cincinnati (6-3, 6-2).

Joao Fonseca followed a headline-making third-round victory over Novak Djokovic with another major statement at Roland Garros, defeating two-time finalist Casper Ruud in four hours and minus four minutes of drama, 7-5, 7-6 (8), 5-7, 6-2. The 19-year-old Brazilian, already one of the tournament’s most talked-about young players, is now one of two teenagers through to the quarterfinals alongside Rafael Jodar.

Fonseca’s path here included a remarkable comeback against Djokovic, becoming just the second man to beat Djokovic at Roland Garros after dropping the first two sets, a mark previously set by Jurgen Melzer in 2010. On Sunday he traded heavy forehands and long rallies with the 27-year-old clay specialist before pulling away late. The final numbers underscored how close the contest was: each man finished with 51 winners and an identical 52 errors. Fonseca’s backhand, however, proved the decisive edge in several key moments.

Asked about his versatility in a post-match interview with Mats Wilander, Fonseca said: “It’s more like heart, or mind, I don’t know, I just try to be me on the court. Try to be happy, try to hit winners, try to hit good shots, try to be entertainment … try to be me, and that’s what it is.”

Those words echoed across a week that also drew the attention of Gustavo Kuerten, who watched the match and appeared pleased with the way Fonseca is building on a Brazilian legacy. Fonseca is a 6-foot-2 right-hander with notable power and a broad set of weapons; his temperament and shotmaking have become a central part of his rise.

The run here follows a turbulent sophomore season: a nagging back injury that affected his off-season preparation, an early Australian Open exit and a 1-3 record heading into Indian Wells. He has been careful about expectations, saying in Monte Carlo, “I think the expectations are going to come. People see young players doing great things, and they pull us into the top of the rankings. People need time. Everyone has their own time, so I want to do my history. I hope I’ll be there competing against them [top players], but people need to understand that I need time to become what they want me to do and I want to become.”

Fonseca’s run now brings fresh comparisons and cautions; Jim Courier advised, “Be careful of that hangover.” Still, after five-set wins over Dino Prizmic and Djokovic and Sunday’s victory over Ruud, Fonseca’s immediate problem is simple: maintain the level that has taken him this far. I just try to be me on the court. Try to be happy, try to hit winners, try to hit good shots, try to be entertainment … and that’s what it is. Joao Fonseca