Following on from Jack's game somebody mentioned that world no 2 Carlos Alcaraz was losing 4-0 to Ugo Humbert so I thought I'd watch that.

I regard Alcaraz and Sinner as latter day tennis genius but A is far less consistent than Sinner, he does have the occasional off day like this, plus he's playing a Frenchman in Paris.

He loses the first set 6-1 and smiles wanly (but broadly, as ever, he's a people-pleaser) when he finally wins a game at 5-0 down so he's not lost his sense of humour as he fights to steady the ship in the second set.

Still you can tell Carlos is jittery because he's blown all his challenges by game 4 of set 2. Game 4 goes on over 10 minutes but Humbert prevails and holds his serve for 2 all. Carlos's big problem at the moment seems to be getting the ball over the net.

Losing the long game doesn't affect CA psychologically like it did Jack against Fritz the other night. He holds and then breaks for 4-2 as Humbert's level of play obligingly drops somewhat from where it was at the end of the first set. He takes the second 6-3 in the end.

Game on.

So Humbert takes an endless toilet break and gives Carlos a chance to make friends with the crowd.

In the third set the tennis still isn't great but it's oddly compelling, bloody entertaining in fact, as they are so much more evenly matched now. Although it's not his night you still get the occasional inspired Carlos backhand that reminds how good he really is. That feeling where it's just brilliant to watch a truly competitive game of tennis takes over. 5 all set 3. It shouldn't be this close, but it is. It's going all the way to a third set tie break. You're sure of it, but then Carlos hits a forehand long at 30-40 and it's all over. The favourite is out. Long live the favourite.

No apology.