Stefanos Tsitsipas to cut out naps and melatonin after flat display in Carlos Alcaraz loss at French Open

World No. 5 Tsitsipas was outplayed by Alcaraz as he slumped to a 6-2 6-1 7-6(5) defeat.

Former French Open runner-up Tsitsipas, who has now lost all five of his matches against Alcaraz, did not get going until midway through the third set.

By then it was too late to mount a comeback as Alcaraz set up a blockbuster semi-final against Novak Djokovic.

“It wasn’t really that much fun out there in the first two sets. I felt completely off, kind of like sleeping in a way,” said Tsitsipas afterwards.

“He played great. I mean, I don’t think he played exceptional, but he played great.

“One thing that I’m going to try to avoid in the future is to have melatonin pills and naps before matches because it clearly doesn’t seem to be working.

“I wondered to myself why I did not feel the adrenalin and stress. I wondered in my first service game. I was more calm than usual. I tried to nap before the game. About 20 minutes which I usually do not do, actually never done.

“My start was highly likely down to this.”

Melatonin pills are usually used to treat short-term sleep problems.

Tsitsipas admits his schedule at the tournament may have contributed to his below-par display against Alcaraz.

His previous two matches had been scheduled last on Court Suzanne Lenglen, and his contest against Alcaraz was the night session.

“The schedule has been a little bit difficult the last few days,” he explained.

“I had some late-night sessions. Not super late, but late enough for me to kind of have my sleep schedule ruined, in a way.

“Sleep is a very vital important thing, and recovery is the most important thing when competing and playing big Slams like this.”

Alcaraz will now go on to face Djokovic in the semi-finals.

It will be the first meeting between the two players since their only previous match at the Madrid Open last year.

A win for Djokovic would see him close on a record 23rd Grand Slam title, while Alcaraz is aiming to win his second major.

Looking ahead to the match, Tsitsipas said: “Well, one has experience, the other one has legs and moves like Speedy Gonzalez, so you have that.

“One can hit huge, super big shots; and the other one prefers control over anything else, probably control and precision, to apply pressure and just make the opponent move as much as possible.”

Asked for a prediction for the contest, Tsitsipas added: “I root for the young kids.

“I’m not good at predictions, so I’ll stay away from it. But let’s see. Let the best player win.”

The semi-final will take place on Friday.

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