HOLDER ALCARAZ SEALS FINAL SPOT

CARLOS Alcaraz will defend his French Open title tomorrow after securing an anticlimactic victory over Lorenzo Musetti.

- By ARCHIE GRIGGS

Italian Musetti was forced to retire after just two games in the fourth set due to a thigh injury.

Alcaraz, who beat Alexander Zverev in last year's final, was leading 4-6 7-6 6-0 2-0 when the eighth seed had to stop playing.

The two players exchanged a warm embrace at the net and Musetti received a standing ovation as he trudged off the court.

"It's never great, you know, to win the match like this," said Alcaraz, who will bid for a fifth grand slam title on Sunday.