PARIS -- Some friendly advice, sports fans: If Carlos Alcaraz is playing, do not look away. Even for a moment. Because it's likely he'll conjure up some sort of highlight-worthy mix of ability, athleticism and awareness that drops the jaw.
Anyone who's watched him play lately knows this. Anyone who's played against him lately knows this. And he knows this. Which is why the No. 1-ranked Alcaraz himself acknowledged through that now-familiar smile that he'll glance up at the stadium video boards "a lot of times" to see a replay of what he just did.
Up to his usual tricks at Court Philippe Chatrier on Sunday, Alcaraz mixed a bit of this -- a back-to-the-net 'tweener lob -- and a bit of that -- a full-sprint-then-slide wide of the doubles alley for a backhand winner at a seemingly impossible angle -- along the way to reaching the French Open quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over No. 17 seed Lorenzo Musetti of Italy.
"Today he showed," Musetti said, "that he probably can win this tournament."
First things first. Next for Alcaraz, a 20-year-old from Spain who won the U.S. Open in September, comes what could be a tougher test: His quarterfinal opponent will be No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas, a two-time major runner-up who advanced by beating qualifier Sebastian Ofner 7-5, 6-3, 6-0.
Win that, and Alcaraz could find himself in a semifinal against Novak Djokovic. He broke a tie with rival Rafael Nadal by reaching the French Open quarterfinals for the record 17th time, never truly in trouble during a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win over Juan Pablo Varillas.
"Well, I'm proud of it, but my attention is already on the next match," said Djokovic, who now meets No. 11 Karen Khachanov. "I know what my goal is here. I'm trying to stay, mentally, the course and of course not look too far."
That's because Djokovic is closing on bettering Nadal in a more prestigious category: Grand Slam singles championships. Both currently sit at 22. For Djokovic, that total includes two at Roland Garros, in 2016 and 2021, and he can become the first man to own at least three trophies from each major tournament.
Nadal is a 14-time champion in Paris but is missing this time because of a hip injury; he had arthroscopic surgery Friday night that is expected to sideline him for the rest of the year.
"I really hope that his rehabilitation process can go well and that we can see him next season. He's so important for our game, on and off the court, one of the greatest legends of tennis in the history of the game," Djokovic said. "We want to see a healthy Rafa, no question about it."
The No. 3-seeded Djokovic is this far for the 14th time in a row at the French Open and for the 55th time overall at all majors. Roger Federer, who retired with 58, is the only man to reach more.
Djokovic takes an 8-1 head-to-head mark into Tuesday's meeting with Khachanov, who defeated Lorenzo Sonego 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7), 6-1.
"He's one of the toughest tasks, toughest opponents," Khachanov said about Djokovic, "and you cannot count him out."
Italy's Lorenzo Sonego plays a shot against Russia's Karen Khachanov during their fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday, June 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova plays a shot against Belgium's Elise Mertens during their fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday, June 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic celebrates winning her fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros against Russia's Elina Avanesyan stadium in Paris, Sunday, June 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic, left, and Russia's Elina Avanesyan hug each other after their fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday, June 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Italy's Lorenzo Musetti, left, runs for the ball to play a shot against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday, June 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Ukraine's Elina Svitolina celebrates after beating Russia's Daria Kasatkina in their fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday, June 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Russia's Daria Kasatkina plays a shot against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina during their fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday, June 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Sloane Stephens of the U.S. reacts during her fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday, June 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz plays a tweener against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti during their fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday, June 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)