Stefanos Tsitsipas hasn’t faced Matteo Arnaldi on the ATP tour yet, but he is well aware of the Italian’s quality. Seeded ninth as compared to unseeded Arnaldi, Tsitsipas walks into their fourth-round match at the French Open as a favorite. But will it be a straightforward contest? The big Greek doesn’t think so, and he is in no mood to take Arnaldi lightly.

Tsitsipas is looking for his maiden Slam title and has lived up to the expectations at Roland Garros so far. It has been smooth sailing for the 25-year-old, bar the second-round match, where Daniel Altmier stretched him to four sets. Arnaldi, however, is likely to pose a bigger threat to Tsitsipas than any of his previous opponents.

“What you want is to be is cautious in every single circumstance and match that you get to play. I have been keeping an eye on him. I saw him play in Barcelona, I saw him play in Rome, I saw him play here. He is someone who gets out on the court and fights. He doesn’t give up, I have noticed that,” Tsitsipas said ahead of his much-anticipated contest against Arnaldi.

Matteo Arnaldi was the showstopper in the third round as he pulled off an upset against Madrid Open winner Andre Rublev. Rublev was one of the title contenders at Roland Garros this year, but he proved to be no match for Arnaldi’s power and precision. The Italian walked away with a straight-set victory to set up his first-ever encounter with Tsitsipas.

Matteo Arnaldi has caught everyone’s attention on the ATP tour

Matteo Arnaldi hasn’t been around for a long time, but he has made all the right noises since making his Slam debut. He raised many eyebrows when he managed to advance to the fourth round of the US Open last year, which also included a shocking result against Cameron Norrie.

The real test for Arnaldi in the fourth-round match against Tsitsipas is maintaining the physical and mental intensity against another top player within 48 hours. The Italian showed tremendous composure and tenacity against Rublev, but he can’t afford to let his guard down against Tsitsipas.

Tsitsipas is the best clay court player in the world, according to the stat-based ELO ratings. While some would want to argue the ELO ratings, it’s a common understanding that clay is Tsitsipas’ preferred surface, and he also has experience navigating through the French Open. The big-serving Greek made it to the final of the French Open in 2021 before falling to Novak Djokovic in an exhausting five-set contest.

However, despite Tsitsipas’ credentials, nobody would want to rule out the possibility of another upset by Arnaldi in what promises to be a fascinating encounter.