Zverev advances to French Open final after Mensik defeat
German second seed overcomes Jakub Mensik in four sets to reach Roland Garros men’s singles championship match.
German tennis player Alexander Zverev has secured his place in the French Open men’s singles final, defeating Jakub Mensik in four sets to advance to the championship match at Roland Garros. The second seed, widely regarded as the tournament favourite, maintained his composure to win 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, and 6-3 against the 26th seed Mensik, who reached his first Grand Slam semi-final.
This result marks Zverev’s fourth Grand Slam final appearance and his second at the Parisian venue. He previously contested the 2024 final, where he was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in five sets. For Mensik, the defeat ends a remarkable run that saw the first-time semi-finalist challenge for a major title, but Zverev’s experience proved decisive, particularly after being pushed to a fourth set for only the second time throughout the tournament.
Zverev’s path to the final has been significantly bolstered by the early exits of top-ranked contenders. World number one Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic both suffered shock departures in the first week of the competition, positioning Zverev as the clear front-runner to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires. His dominance on the surface is further evidenced by his record of nine clay-court titles, including four at the ATP 1000 level.
The German player will face either Flavio Cobolli or Matteo Arnaldi in Sunday’s final, pending the outcome of the other semi-final. A victory would secure Zverev’s maiden Grand Slam title and establish him as the seventh oldest first-time men’s singles champion in the Open era. It would also end a long drought for German men’s tennis, as he would become the first German man to win a major singles title since Michael Stich claimed the Wimbledon crown in 1991.
The 29-year-old now stands one win away from a long-awaited major triumph. With the field narrowed and his primary rivals eliminated, Zverev enters the final as the overwhelming favourite to complete his career-defining victory on the clay courts of Roland Garros.
