FRENCH OPEN. Paris. Men’s Draw. By Leo Canaparo
Alexander Zverev and Flavio Cobolli will contest the men’s final at Roland Garros this Sunday after the German defeated Czech rising star Jakub Mensik 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in three hours and one minute, while the Italian advanced without stepping onto the court following the illness withdrawal of compatriot Matteo Arnaldi.
The opening set was highly competitive, with both players holding serve consistently. In fact, Mensik had the first real opportunity to take control of the match, earning three break points that could have given him a 5-3 lead.
However, Zverev showed tremendous composure under pressure. The German managed to escape the difficult moment, broke Mensik’s serve shortly afterward, and then confidently served out the set.
Clearly frustrated by the missed chances — and also limited by neck pain that prevented him from fully unleashing his powerful serve — Mensik delivered a much weaker performance in the second set, allowing Zverev to dominate comfortably 6-2.
The Czech improved considerably in the third set and responded with a solid 6-3 performance to extend the match. But in the fourth, Zverev struck immediately with an early break of serve and then calmly protected his advantage through the remainder of the set to secure both the victory and his place in the final.
For Zverev, this latest appearance represents another opportunity to finally capture the elusive first Grand Slam title of his career. The German has already experienced heartbreak on the biggest stages of tennis.
His first major final came at the 2020 US Open, where he lost a dramatic five-set match to Dominic Thiem after leading by two sets. Four years later, he returned to a Grand Slam final at Roland Garros in 2024, but was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in another physically demanding battle on the Paris clay.
Now, Zverev reaches yet another Grand Slam championship match — this time against Cobolli, who will be playing the biggest match of his young career and is also chasing a maiden major title.
The final guarantees a fascinating storyline in Paris: either Zverev will finally erase years of frustration and lift his first Grand Slam trophy, or Cobolli will complete a stunning breakthrough by becoming an unexpected champion on the clay of Roland Garros.