Alexander Zverev overcame Jakub Mensik in Roland Garros’s men’s semi-final. The German number 2 in the world won 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in just over three hours on the Philippe-Chatrier court. With the result, Zverev will compete in the French Grand Slam final on Sunday.
The game started balanced. Mensik, 20 years old, put pressure on the favorite’s serve in the first games. Zverev kept his cool and broke at the right time to close out the first set 7-5. In the second set, the German raised the level. Ele dominated the rallies from the back of the court and gave no chance to the Czech, who made unforced errors. Zverev closed the partial at 6-2.
Zverev reacts after stumble in the third set
Mensik reacted in the third set. The young Czech found his rhythm on his backhand and exploited some of Zverev’s mistakes at the net. Ele won the partial 6-3 and kept the hope of an upset alive. The audience at Philippe-Chatrier cheered with the long points.
The German responded at the beginning of the fourth set. Zverev broke Mensik’s serve and consolidated the lead with solid serves. Ele managed the advantage until the end and closed the game 6-3. Foram 4 aces against his rival’s 8, but Zverev won 79% of the points on the first serve.
- Zverev won 123 points in total against Mensik’s 103
- The German saved important break points in the fourth set
- Mensik had 26 winners, but paid dearly for mistakes
- Zverev reached the fifth straight semi-final in Roland Garros
The German reaches the final having lost just two sets in the tournament. Ele is looking for the first Grand Slam title of his career. Zverev was runner-up to Paris in 2024 and lost other major finals.
Caminho from Zverev until decision
The German entered as the main favorite after the early eliminations of several seeds. Ele consistently outperformed rivals and showed progress on clay. The victory over Mensik confirms the good moment. The Czech, in turn, had the best campaign of his career in an Grand Slam. Aos 20 years old, he has established himself as one of the promises of the circuit.
Zverev highlighted the challenge after the match. Ele praised his opponent’s performance and said he needed to find quick solutions in the fourth set. The German avoided projections about the final and focused on recovering for Sunday.
The tournament on Paris has seen high technical performances. Zverev adapted well to the slow clay conditions and maintained a high percentage of points won in service. Mensik pressed in the initial moments, but did not maintain the pace against his rival’s experience.
Estatísticas highlight German dominance
Zverev controlled the decisive points better. Ele converted 4 of 7 break points, while Mensik took fewer opportunities. The German also won more service games throughout the match. Esses numbers explain the victory even with the set lost.
The confrontation marked the second meeting between the two. Zverev had already beaten Mensik to Madrid months before. Experience in best of five sets weighed in favor of the German.
The men’s final takes place on Sunday. Zverev awaits the winner of the other semifinal between Italians. The German is looking to end his wait for a major trophy.