Zverev Reaches Second Roland-Garros Final With Mensik Win

Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev (photo: Jürgen Hasenkopf)

PARIS/WASHINGTON, June 5, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)

In a Parisian fortnight filled full of surprises and shocks, No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev came into his French Open men’s singles semifinal Friday as the last player standing of his generation – someone who looked to be able to draft off the retirements of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and with Novak Djokovic now in the twilight of his Hall of Fame career.

However, Zverev ran into a new generation of unstoppable players, namely Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who have dominated Grand Slam competition over the last two-and-a-half years by combining to win nine majors. With neither of them in the picture as this year’s Roland-Garros has reached the home stretch, the 29-year-old Zverev understands he might not see a better opportunity to be able to win a major – something that has been an elusive object for him.

The World No. 2 from Hamburg, Germany, appearing in his 11th major semifinal, looked to reach his fourth Grand Slam final – where he’s 0-3 – and to become the fifth active player to reach multiple men’s singles finals in Paris after Djokovic (7), Alcaraz (2), Casper Ruud (2) and Stan Wawrinka (2). With a victory over No. 26 seed Jakub Mensik of Czechia, his semifinal opponent, Zverev would tie David Ferrer for 10th-most Roland-Garros men’s singles wins in the Open Era with 44.

By the end of their three-hour, one-minute tussle, it was mission accomplished for Zverev. He beat Mensik in a battle of big servers, 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Zverev won efficiently and relentlessly on a cloudy day when the temperature dipped to 64-degrees Fahrenheit with the roof open on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Zverev, who won his only prior meeting against the 20-year-old Mensik at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid earlier this season en route to the final, won 79 percent of his first-serve points, hit 42 winners, made 37 unforced errors, converted four of seven break points and won 20 of 32 points at the net. 

Mensik, who was playing his first Grand Slam semifinal after earlier surviving a pair of five-setters – and attempting to become the youngest men’s finalist at Roland-Garros since Nadal in 2006 at age 20 – struck 32 winners, but also made 41 unforced errors. He broke Zverev’s serve just once in four tries. Zverev outpointed Mensik 123-103.

Despite winning most metrics, Zverev spoke positively of Mensik during his on-court interview.

“It’s amazing the way he played these past two weeks,” Zverev said. “I knew it was going to be the toughest challenge I had so far. I managed. I won. So I’m happy.”

“He really stepped up to another level. But this is a Grand Slam; it’s best-of-five set matches,” Zverev added. “Opponents are going to play better. You have to deal with it … I did and I hope to play another great match on Sunday.”

On serve through the first 10 games, Zverev broke Mensik to go ahead 6-5, thanks to an unforced error on break point. Then, with a 209 km/h first serve down the middle for his third ace that the Czech rising star couldn’t lay a racquet on, the German No. 1 consolidated the break and wrapped up the opening set in one hour 7-5. Zverev won nine points on rallies that were over nine shots, placed 71 percent of his first serves in play and saved all three break points he faced.

Next, Zverev broke early to take a 2-1 lead over Mensik. The 27th-ranked Mensik tried hitting a drop shot on the fifth ball but Zverev read it perfectly. He sprinted in and hit a backhand return winner to take the game, then consolidated the break with his fourth ace after Mensik saved three game points. Soon, Zverev broke again for a 5-2 lead after Mensik double-faulted for the fifth time in the semifinal. He closed out the 32-minute second set quickly after Mensik’s return of Zverev’s third shot clipped the net. 

Later, after being on serve through the first five games of the third set – and following eight shots of baseline rallying – Mensik struck a forehand winner that Zverev misread and he broke his opponent for the first time in the semifinal to go ahead 4-2. Then, he consolidated the break with a well-disguised drop shot that Zverev was unable to successfully return to lead 5-2. Soon, Mensik closed out the 39-minute set with a brilliant hold that incorporated booming serves, drop shots and a stunning 17-shot backhand winner down the line to win it 6-3. 

Onward to the fourth set, where Mensik gifted three unforced errors in the second game – including on break point – and handed Zverev an early break lead at 2-0. Zverev consolidated the break in the next game to push ahead 3-0 after Mensik found the net with his fourth-shot return. Next, Mensik saved a couple of break points and endured a 14-point, three-deuce fourth game to gain a big-time hold and get on the scoreboard in the set. But Zverev held comfortably in the next game to lead 4-1.

Soon, Mensik held his serve for 2-4, surviving deuce after two backhand errors. However, a clutch ace and some big first serves ultimately kept him from being a double-break down. Then, Zverev held at love for 5-2 with his seventh ace and a couple of solid winners, needing to hold serve one more time to win and advance to the final.

After Mensik held serve to stave off elimination, Zverev closed out the semifinal victory with a pair of winners and his eighth ace. Mensik slapped a fourth-shot backhand into the net, his 41st unforced error.

In a separate post-match interview with TNT Sports, Zverev was asked to what beating Mensik in the semifinals meant to him at the moment – especially doing it in front of his parents, brother and grandmother. “Not much, at the moment. We still have a match to play on Sunday. That’s what we’re here for; what we’re focusing on. I want to play the best possible match and just focus on that,” he said.

On Sunday, Zverev will face No. 10 seed Flavio Cobolli, who advanced by walkover against 104th-ranked Matteo Arnaldi.

Less than 30 minutes before the all-Italian semifinal, Arnaldi was forced to withdraw due to a viral illness.

At a news conference, Arnaldi tried to explain his illness:

“I have no idea. To be honest, I think it’s a virus because I was feeling pretty cold,” Arnaldi said. “I think I had a fever during the day. I don’t know, to be honest. I just know that I can’t move, and I can’t eat, and I can’t drink. There was really no way that I would be able to play. I feel sorry for everyone who had tickets and came, all the Italians who came to watch us. I feel happy for [Cobolli] that he’s going to play the final, but at the same time, sorry because we couldn’t play a match, so it’s tough to be here.”

Zverev will take a 3-1 lifetime win-loss record against Cobolli into the final.

Around the French Open

• In men’s doubles, defending champions and No. 1 seeds Marcel Granollers of Spain and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina advanced to the final with a 7-6 (4), 6-4 victory over No. 5 seeds Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori of Italy in one hour and 53 minutes on Court Simonne-Mathieu Friday afternoon. It is the sixth major final that Granollers and Zeballos have reached and second-straight at Roland-Garros. 

Granollers and Zeballos, who outpointed their Italian opponents 78-61, will face No. 2 seeds Harri Heliovaara of Finland and Henry Patten of Great Britain in Saturday’s title match.

 

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• In women’s doubles, No. 1 seeds Katerina Siniakova of Czechia and Taylor Townsend of the United States defeated No. 4 seeds Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Luisa Stefani of Brazil, 6-0, 6-1, in one hour on Court Simonne-Mathieu to advance to their third major final together. Previously, Sinakova and Townsend won the 2024 Wimbledon Championships and the 2025 Australian Open as a team. 

The second semifinal was won by No. 2 seeds Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia, who defeated unseeded Shuko Aoyama of Japan and En-Shuo Liang of Taiwan, 7-5, 6-2, in one hour and 34 minutes on Court Simonne-Mathieu.

The women’s doubles final will take place on Sunday.

Friday’s Roland-Garros results

Saturday’s Roland-Garros order of play

By the numbers

Jakub Mensik spent 15 hours and 45 minutes on court through his first five matches, including two five-set wins.

“Quotable …”

“I didn’t have many experiences, many opportunities before to play against such great players and high-ranked players. So, it’s actually the first time that I have this opportunity. I’m happy that I’m taking it.

“I know that my ranking will allow me to play more in the, like, at the highest-ranked tournaments. Yeah, I guess we’ll see how I will continue. For now, I’m just trying to focus on just one more match.”

– Qualifier Maja Chwalinska of Poland, ranked No. 114, during her post-match news conference Thursday, after defeating No. 25 seed Diana Shnaider of Russia to reach her first major final.

 

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