Zverev after quarter-final victory in Paris ahead of first Grand Slam title

Zverev now needs two wins to secure the first Grand Slam title of his career. In 2020, he lost the US Open final to Dominic Thiem after a clear lead, in 2024 at the French Open against Alcaraz, he was only one set away from triumph, and at the Australian Open 2025, he was no match in the final against Sinner.

The Path to the Semi-finals

Against Jódar, Zverev fell behind 2:5 in the first set but fought his way back and decided the set in a tiebreak. In the second and third sets, he dictated the play, broke Jódar's serve twice, and won the second set 6:1. Overall, Zverev has only dropped one set at these French Open up to the semi-finals.

Opponent Jakub Mensik

His next opponent is the 20-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik, who defeated Brazilian João Fonseca in the quarter-finals to complete the semi-final lineup on Friday. Zverev last defeated Mensik 6:4, 6:7, 6:3 at the Masters in Madrid. Mensik is ranked 29th in the world rankings and has already celebrated a victory at the Masters in Miami this year.

A New Generation Emerges

The age structure in this year's Paris quarter-finals is remarkable: with Jódar (19), Fonseca (19), and Mensik (20), three players under 21 reached the round of the last eight – a first this century at a Grand Slam tournament. Zverev, at 29 the oldest player among the quarter-finalists, described the new generation as "a great group of young players who play fantastic tennis."

Becker, Kerber, and the Pressure

Boris Becker, a six-time Grand Slam champion and Eurosport expert, was impressed by Zverev's performance against Jódar: "I've never seen him play much better. That was incredibly great tennis." However, Becker also sees a psychological component for Zverev: "The mind games are starting now, of course. I think the head is slowly starting to think about what could happen."

Becker also emphasized the importance of Zverev's team for his mental stability. Former world number one Angelique Kerber summed up the enormous pressure of expectations: "If he loses, everyone attacks him. If he wins, everyone celebrates." Tennis journalist Jörg Allmeroth said: "Sascha can only beat himself."

John McEnroe predicted that Zverev would "feel more pressure at this stage than ever before in his career." Zverev himself knows the pressure from his homeland, as he said in an interview last year: "I come from Germany, where you are celebrated highly, but also quickly brought down low."

Despite the expectations, Zverev appears outwardly calm. After his victory against Jódar, he responded to the question of whether he was satisfied: "Not really. I want to advance, of course. I want to win the matches that are still to come." Regarding his upcoming semi-final opponent Mensik, he said: "We have a great group of young players who play fantastic tennis."

Zverev also appears unruffled off the court. He announced that he would eat, get a massage, play Mario Kart, and sleep on the evening of the quarter-final day. Regarding the scheduling, he said there was "no chance" he could actively influence the opponent – and added with a smile: "I wouldn't mind adding a few more things to my list."

In the current decade, only two players have won more matches on the Grand Slam stage than Zverev with 91: world number one Sinner (93) and record Grand Slam champion Djokovic (124). Zverev's record at the French Open 2026 is flawless, with the exception of the first set against Jódar.

What Remains – Even Without a Grand Slam Title

His greatest sporting achievement to date remains the Olympic title in Tokyo in 2021. Zverev emphatically recalled: "I think you do it for your country, you do it for the people back home. That's why I would never trade my gold medal for anything." Even if he were to fail in Paris, no one could take that triumph away from him.

With 17 ATP Masters titles, two ATP Finals victories, and Olympic gold, Zverev has an extensive collection – but the Grand Slam title is missing. A victory in the semi-final against Mensik would be another step towards closing this gap.

Becker described Zverev's quarter-final performance as a mental turning point: "The psyche has calmed down, the bad demons have said goodbye for now." However, he added the caveat "for now." The coming days in Paris will show whether Zverev can withstand the expectations.

Zverev himself insists on his mantra-like slogan: "I have to trust myself and my game." Whether this attitude will be enough for the final will be seen on Friday in the semi-final against Mensik.

The favorite role is undeniably his – not least because the three players who have dominated Grand Slam tournaments in recent years are absent or have been eliminated in Paris. Alcaraz had withdrawn due to injury, Sinner was eliminated early, and Djokovic was also no longer in the tournament.