Alexander Zverev is the overwhelming favourite to claim the Roland Garros title following early exits for Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner in Paris.
The German started the tournament as the second seed, following Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal from a wrist injury, and the draw has continued to open up for the World No. 3.
Seven of the top 10 seeds have already exited, including Sinner and Djokovic, who lost to Juan Manuel Cerundolo and Joao Fonseca, respectively.
Despite many expecting the German to lift his first Grand Slam title, Zverev has played down his favourite tag after defeating Quentin Halys in four sets.
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Asked about Sinner and Djokovic’s exits from the competition, Zverev responded: “I know I’m playing de Jong tomorrow who has won six matches here and that’s my focus.
“I know who I’m playing next, that’s the only thing that I can control: the matches that I have in front of me. Everything else will fall into place.”
Zverev has reached three Grand Slam finals in his career, but he has lost every one. The first came at the US Open in 2020 when he let slip a two set lead against Dominic Thiem.
In the 2024 French Open final, Zverev once again let a lead slip, this time against Carlos Alcaraz. He was two sets to one up against the Spaniard before losing in five sets.
His most recent Grand Slam final came at the 2025 Australian Open, and it was his most convincing to date. He lost in straight sets to Sinner.
Despite his record in Grand Slam finals, Alex Corretja has backed the Zverev to finally break his duck at a major.
Speaking during TNT Sports coverage of Roland Garros, the Spaniard revealed: “It has to be Zverev. I think he has been waiting for this moment. Every time he lose a Grand Slam final it was pretty much because he lost to guys that were better than him.
“They had more power, especially on the forehand. Now, I don’t really see many players who can overpower him and I believe that the big night sessions on Chatrier favours his game.”
Zverev has dropped just one set at Roland Garros so far this year, which came against Halys in his third round match. The German dropped the third set, before taking the next to confirm a four set victory.
He heads into his match with de Jong having beaten in the Dutchman in their only two matches together on the ATP Tour. They both came on clay, in Hamburg in 2024 and Roland Garros in 2025.
The post Alexander Zverev reacts to Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic’s early exits at Roland Garros appeared first on Tennis365.
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