Zverev faces Mensik as French Open opens up after shock exits

PARIS: Alexander Zverev will head into Friday’s French Open semi-final against rising Czech talent Jakub Mensik with the tournament wide open following several major upsets in Paris.

The draw was shaken after defending champion Carlos Alcaraz withdrew due to injury, while world number one Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic were both eliminated early, leaving second seed Zverev as the most experienced contender still in the hunt.

Zverev, an Olympic gold medallist and two-time ATP Finals champion, is still chasing his first Grand Slam title despite reaching finals at the US Open, French Open and Australian Open. Paris now represents another major opportunity to finally break through.

“I don’t particularly care,” the 29-year-old said about being viewed as the favourite. “I focus on the next match… that’s the only thing I can control. If I win those matches, then that’s great.”

He added that success depends on trusting his game, adding “If I play well, then I think that’s 99 per cent of the work.”

Standing in his way is 20-year-old Mensik, seeded 26th, who is also aiming for his first Grand Slam title. Unlike Zverev’s relatively smooth run, Mensik has endured a far more demanding path, including two five-set matches and a physically draining contest in extreme heat that left him collapsing on court.

Mentored by Novak Djokovic, Mensik impressed in the quarter-finals with a composed win over Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, showcasing his powerful serve and aggressive baseline game.

“I’m playing better and better,” Mensik said. “Of course, it’s a bigger match… I’m excited for the challenge.”

In the other semi-final, two Italians will battle for a place in the final as Flavio Cobolli takes on Matteo Arnaldi, with both players seizing a rare Grand Slam opportunity amid the absence of the sport’s biggest stars.

Cobolli said he is approaching the match without pressure, while Arnaldi, who advanced after Matteo Berrettini retired injured, said he is simply enjoying his breakthrough run into the last four.

The semi-finals underline a changing moment at Roland Garros, with established champions absent and a new generation competing for one of tennis’s biggest prizes.