With the crushing 7-6 (7\/3), 6-1, 6-3 win over the 19-year-old Spaniard, Zverev advanced to his fifth Roland Garros semi-final in the last six years. <\/p>\n
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The second seed is considered the heavy favourite to win his first Grand Slam title following the shock early departures oftop seed Jannik Sinner and 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic last week in Paris. <\/p>\n
Zverev has finished runner-up three times in Grand Slam finals, including at Roland Garros two years ago, and knows the pressure is firmly on him in the French capital as he bids to shake off his unwanted title of tennis\u2019 nearly-man. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs I said before, I don\u2019t particularly care (about being the favourite),\u201d Zverev told reporters.<\/p>\n
\u201cI focus on next match, and I focus on the opponent as they cross the net, and that\u2019s the only thing that I can control.\u201d <\/p>\n
His next opponent will be first-time Grand Slam semi-finalist 20-year-old Jakub Mensik. <\/p>\n
\u201cWho do I prefer to play? I don\u2019t care at all, to be honest. No, I just don\u2019t care. For me, it doesn\u2019t matter,\u201d the 29-year-old said. <\/p>\n
Germany’s Alexander Zverev, left, and Spain’s Rafael Jodar talk after the quarterfinal tennis match.Source: AP<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have fantastic players that are young on the tour right now, we have a lot of potential on the tour right now. But, again,I have to trust myself, trust my game and focus on my job.\u201d Despite downplaying his propulsion into the position of favourite with the shock results thrown up so far in the tournament, Zverev was forced to admit the elimination of 39-year-old Djokovichad somewhat opened up his route to the final in the bottom half of the draw. <\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like the draw opened up a lot on the top half (with Sinner\u2019s exit). I feel like in the bottom half, less,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, with Joao Fonseca beating Djokovic, it\u2019s a big match that opened up the draw.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything else is kind of normal-ish on the bottom half. In the top half, of course, it\u2019s different.\u201d<\/p>\n
– May the best man win –<\/p>\n
Zverev has only dropped one set so far in the tournament but he came close to losing the opener on Court Philippe Chatrierto 27th seed Jodar, before rallying back from 5-2 down to take it in a tie-break. <\/p>\n
From that point on, he accelerated smoothly through the next two sets to bring an end to an impressive debut Roland Garroscampaign for the teenager. <\/p>\n
PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 02: Rafael Jodar of Spain looks on against Alexander ZverevSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Jodar was ranked 707th in the world this time last year, losing in the first and second rounds of second-tier Challenger eventsin the United States during the 2025 French Open. <\/p>\n
The Madrid native told reporters after his quarter-final exit that he believed Zverev was the most likely candidate to liftthe Coupe des Mousquetaires on Sunday. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a great player. He does everything very well. He has a lot of experience. He has been in these kind of stadiums a lotof years, and I think that\u2019s a key that\u2019s very important to face the important and the pressure moments in the match,\u201d Jodarsaid. <\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, yes (Zverev is the favourite). He has to win two more matches, so yeah, all the players that are in the semi-finalson Friday have the same chances. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf they are in semi-finals, it\u2019s because they have done great results. I wish them all the best, and the best player… at the weekend will win the title.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kostyuk balances war at home and title run at French Open<\/p>\n
An emotional Marta Kostyuk says learning to block out the realities of Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine has become essential during her run to the French Open semi-finals, even as the conflict remains never far from her thoughts. <\/p>\n
Kostyuk beat compatriot Elina Svitolina 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 on Tuesday to reach the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time. It was the first all-Ukrainian quarter-final at a major in the professional era. <\/p>\n
The 23-year-old Kostyuk fought back tears on court as she dedicated the win to Ukraine, which was hit by hundreds of Russian drones and dozens of missiles early Tuesday, killing at least 21 people. <\/p>\n
\u201cWith everything that\u2019s happening, for me being here is real blessing, and I don\u2019t think about winning. It\u2019s not the most important thing for me,\u201d Kostyuk told reporters. <\/p>\n
An emotional Marta Kostyuk says learning to block out the realities of Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine has become essential during her run.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m here to represent Ukraine and to enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kostyuk has been an outspoken supporter of Ukraine during the ongoing war with Russia. She revealed after her opening-round win that her family home narrowly avoided being struck by a missile. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere is nothing I can do about it, but just follow what\u2019s going on,\u201d she said. Kostyuk explained that she turns off news notifications on her phone during the night to focus as best as she can on tennis. <\/p>\n
\u201cI will change absolutely nothing, and I will just not get any sleep,\u201d she said. \u201cIf I cannot live without news and not follow them, then I might as well go back to Ukraine and live there, you know, because I\u2019m here, I\u2019m safe, I\u2019m here to do my job. I obviously try to separate these things.\u201d <\/p>\n
Kostyuk added: \u201cOf course, when I woke up today, I saw it was all over the news. I texted my family if they were okay. This is pretty much all I can do. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest thing I can do is sit here and talk about it so more people can find out about it so they don\u2019t get used to this terrible life.\u201d <\/p>\n
She also took a swipe at Russian players who remain silent, saying that she no longer accepts the excuse of fearing potential consequences of speaking up. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a way if you don\u2019t agree,\u201dshe said. \u201cI know some people who have left Russia the moment the war began, who sold all their business, who left everything behind because they just don\u2019t agree with what their country is doing to other people.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe majority of players don\u2019t live in Russia.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is nothing that\u2019s stopping you if this is something you don\u2019t believe in.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter four years, I think they\u2019ve made it very clear whose side they are on.\u201d<\/p>\n
– \u2018Do my job\u2019 –<\/p>\n
Kostyuk is enjoying an astonishing run on clay this season, unbeaten in 17 matches and winning titles in Madrid and Rouen.<\/p>\n
The ongoing conflict in her homeland will form an unavoidable backdrop as Kostyuk faces Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva for a place in the final on Thursday. <\/p>\n
It is also a rematch of last month\u2019s Madrid Open final, which Kostyuk won in straight sets.<\/p>\n
\u201cI usually never care who is on the other side of the net. I\u2019m there to play tennis and do my job, and that\u2019s it,\u201d said Kostyuk.<\/p>\n
Andreeva is set to compete in her second French Open semi-final, two years after her breakthrough run.<\/p>\n
She offered a similar response to Kostyuk\u2019s when asked about the challenges of taking on a Ukrainian opponent during wartime.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me it doesn\u2019t matter who I play. I really try to play against the ball that is coming at me,\u201d said Andreeva.<\/p>\n
\u201cUsually it doesn\u2019t matter to me who I\u2019m playing against, so I\u2019m trying to really focus on the game and on the game plan that I have to use on the court.\u201d As for Svitolina, who fell at the quarter-final stage at Roland Garros for the sixth time, she will be rooting for Kostyuk to become Ukraine\u2019s first Grand Slam singles champion. <\/p>\n
\u201cI will be watching the match and definitely cheering for her hopefully that she can get the title,\u201d said Svitolina.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s going to be massive for Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n
MENSIK TAMES FONSECA TO REACH FRENCH OPEN SEMI-FINALS<\/p>\n
Czech youngster Jakub Mensik produced a brilliant display to upstage Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca and reach the French Open semi-finals on Tuesday. <\/p>\n
The 20-year-old Mensik beat Fonseca 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7\/3) in the night session on Court Philippe Chatrier to extend his best run at a Grand Slam. <\/p>\n
Mensik, the world number 27, will take on second seed and title favourite Zverev on Friday for a place in the final.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was one of my best performances so far,\u201d said Mensik. \u201cI knew it was going to be a tough one. In the end of the match there were some incredible shots.\u201d <\/p>\n
It was the youngest Roland Garros men\u2019s quarter-final since a 20-year-old Rafael Nadal beat Novak Djokovic in 2006. Djokovic was 19 at the time. <\/p>\n
Jakub Mensik produced a brilliant display to upstage Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca.Source: AP<\/p>\n
A thrilling third-round win over Djokovic two decades on marked a coming of age for Fonseca, who backed it up with a victory over two-time runner-up Casper Ruud to advance to his first Grand Slam quarter-final. <\/p>\n
But Mensik, whose best prior result at the majors was an injury-curtailed run to the last 16 at this year\u2019s Australian Open, showed no fear against Fonseca, the 28th seed. <\/p>\n
Mensik secured the opening set with a break in the fifth game, repeating the feat at the same stage of the second before breaking once more to surge into a commanding two-set lead. <\/p>\n
The Czech was broken at the outset of the third set but quickly hit back. Fonseca edged ahead to lead 5-3, yet Mensik saved a set point and battled his way back on serve. <\/p>\n
Fonseca then produced a remarkable escape, saving six match points to force a tie-break, but Mensik finally subdued his stubborn opponent at the seventh time of asking.<\/p>\n
STAR SLAPPED WITH HUGE FINE<\/p>\n
Roland Garros and the French Tennis Federation on Monday hit Adolfo Daniel Vallejo with a $65,000 fine for his remarks about the woman who umpired his second-round defeat at the French Open. <\/p>\n
After he lost to French 17-year-old Moise Kouame in a fifth-set tiebreak on Thursday, Vallejo, a Paraguayan, told tennis website Clay that Brazilian umpire Ana Carvalho had not been strong enough in the face of fansupport for the local player. <\/p>\n
\u201cA fine of 65,000 dollars has been imposed, roughly half of his prize money,\u201d tournament director Amelie Mauresmo told a pressbriefing on Monday. <\/p>\n
Players eliminated in the second round of the men\u2019s singles receive 130,000 euros ($151,000).<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is clearly something that is unacceptable to us, to the tournament, and to the Federation even beyond the tournament.This kind of language has no place here,\u201d Mauresmo said. <\/p>\n
After losing in a super tie-break after 4 hours and 56 minutes of play, Vallejo complained to tennis magazine Clay. <\/p>\n
Paraguay’s Adolfo Daniel Vallejo was fined over his comments.Source: AFP<\/p>\n
\u201cThis sort of match needs to be umpired by a man. It\u2019s very difficult for a woman to do it,\u201d the 22-year-old said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has to be refereed by a man, because it\u2019s a very demanding crowd and you need a lot of strength to go against the crowd.\u201d After the organisers said on Friday they would fine Vallejo, the world number 71 apologised on social media. <\/p>\n
\u201cI have respect for the umpires and for the job they do, after a five-hour battle I was very heated and felt a lot of emotions,I apologize,\u201d Vallejo wrote on Instagram late on Friday. <\/p>\n
Vallejo said his comments had been misinterpreted. <\/p>\n
\u201cI also want to clarify that I didn\u2019t blame the loss on her, she did a good job throughout the whole match,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will learn and get better with this,\u201d he added<\/p>\n
RUSSIAN SEALS FRENCH OPEN REDEMPTION<\/p>\n
Mirra Andreeva outclassed Sorana Cirstea 6-0, 6-3 to book her spot in the semi-finals of the French Open on Tuesday, a year on from her painful defeat at the same stage when the frustrated teenager blasted a ball into the Parisian crowd. <\/p>\n
The Russian eighth seed needed just under an hour on Court Philippe Chatrier to reach the last four at Roland Garros for thesecond time in three years. <\/p>\n
Andreeva, 19, reached the last eight in 2025 before falling in straight sets to French sensation Lois Boisson. <\/p>\n
When rain started falling over the French capital on Tuesday morning and Andreeva realised the match would take place under a closed roof, she said she started immediatelyhaving flashbacks to her bad-tempered loss from 12 months ago. <\/p>\n
\u201cI was actually joking a little bit this morning, because it was raining, and I knew that we would play with a closed roof.I was just saying that I have little bit of flashbacks to last year,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cI was just trying to have flashbacks only about the weather and only about the court with closed roof, not about how I played.\u201d However, she need not have worried as she flew out of the traps to race through the first set in a mere 24 minutes. <\/p>\n
\u201cI honestly didn\u2019t expect that (winning the first set to love)… Let\u2019s start with me having an amazing warm-up before thematch on the court,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like I didn\u2019t miss one ball during the warm-up, so I kind of got a little bit nervous after that, because usuallywhen you have an amazing warm-up, you don\u2019t play the same way during the match. <\/p>\n
PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 02: Mirra Andreeva and Sorana Cirstea of Romania embrace at the netSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, I don\u2019t know, I just found myself being very, very focused, very aggressive, going for my shots all the time. I don\u2019tknow what happened, but I was just, like, in the zone, I guess.\u201d <\/p>\n
– \u2018Like for her to win\u2019 –<\/p>\n
Two years on from her only previous semi-final run at a major, the former world number five said she was \u201csuper happy\u201d to be back in the last four at Roland Garros. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s kind of a long time. I would say that I believe that everything happens for a reason, and if I was not able to reachthe semis of another Grand Slam, then I guess that\u2019s what should have happened,\u201d she added. <\/p>\n
Andreeva will face 15th seed Marta Kostyuk on Thursday for a spot in the final. It will be a rematch of last month\u2019s Madrid Open title-decider, which the 23-year-old Ukrainian won in straight sets. <\/p>\n
The crushing defeat to Andreeva brought to an end a fairytale run for 36-year-old Cirstea, who will retire at the end of theseason. The in-form Romanian reached the quarter-finals in Paris for the first time since 2009. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think it was a great tournament and also a very good clay-court season… I\u2019m very happy. Today, unfortunately, Mirra wasway too strong,\u201d Cirstea said. <\/p>\n
The pair, regular hitting partners, shared a warm embrace at the net at the end of the match.<\/p>\n
\u201cI absolutely adore Mirra. She\u2019s such a wonderful girl,\u201d Cirstea said. \u201cI would really like for her to win this one.\u201d<\/p>\n
PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 01: Frances Tiafoe of United States reacts against Matteo ArnaldiSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
FIVE-HOUR MARATHON STUNS<\/p>\n
Matteo Arnaldi fought back against fading Frances Tiafoe to win 7-6 (7\/5), 6-7 (5\/7),3-6, 7-6, 6-4 early Tuesday and become the third Italian in the French Open men\u2019s last eight. <\/p>\n
The match lasted five hours and 26 minutes and ended with both men moving as if badly blistered.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know how I am standing here,\u201d said Arnaldi, adding that he had been hobbled by a foot injury earlier in the year.<\/p>\n
It was his second consecutive five-hour match after his five-set win over Raphael Collignon in the previous round.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the third set I was so tired,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Tiafoe appeared to be cruising when he raced 4-1 ahead with a double-break in the fourth set, flat-footing Arnaldi with quickhands and unexpected angles. <\/p>\n
Instead, with the American\u2019s own footwork slowing, Arnaldi won nine of the next 13 games, as well as a tie-break, to move 4-2 ahead in the fifth. <\/p>\n
PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 01: Matteo Arnaldi of Italy celebrates a point against Frances TiafoeSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Yet the 28-year-old Tiafoe hauled himself to 4-4.<\/p>\n
Arnaldi seized back the initiative by breaking to love.<\/p>\n
The Italian wasted a first match point with a double-fault, but, despite some brave hitting by Tiafoe, finally took his thirdchance. <\/p>\n
\u201cAt some point it wasn\u2019t tennis, it was something else,\u201d Arnaldi said. \u201cYou were just playing with everything you had. Therehad to be a winner and fortunately it was me.\u201d Arnaldi will face another unseeded Italian, resurgent Matteo Berrettini, inthe quarter-finals. <\/p>\n
Flavio Cobolli, the top Italian seed at 10 following the early elimination of world No.1 Jannik Sinner, will play fourth-seededFelix Auger-Aliassime in the last eight<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Alexander Zverev insisted he\u2019s just focused on his upcoming semi-final rather than being the favourite to win a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":711451,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[342410,5244,345863,297184,2095,342411,64,63,345866,336859,345860,345858,11301,2057,70415,345857,2592,23060,345856,345855,225591,345867,96073,43284,3008,2557,84682,41706,140960,235597,2041,2067,3592,2591,65282,99083,50937,345865,345868,145943,345870,246282,345864,13112,345853,345854,11094,345861,3595,2020,85,76104,3573,345871,345852,345859,345872,183159,345869,345862,2614,2062,10911],"class_list":["post-711450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-adolfo-daniel-vallejo","tag-alexander-zverev","tag-amazing-warm-up","tag-amelie-mauresmo","tag-america","tag-ana-carvalho","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-brave-hitting","tag-clay-court-season","tag-closed-roof","tag-departures-oftop-seed","tag-eastern-europe","tag-europe","tag-fairytale-run","tag-footwork-slowing","tag-france","tag-french-capital","tag-french-open-redemption","tag-french-sensation","tag-french-tennis-federation","tag-inthe-quarter-finals","tag-jakub-mensik","tag-joao-fonseca","tag-lois-boisson","tag-madrid","tag-man-win","tag-match-point","tag-matteo-arnaldi","tag-moise-kouame","tag-north-america","tag-northern-america","tag-novak-djokovic","tag-paris","tag-pressure-moments","tag-province-of-madrid","tag-quarter-final","tag-quarter-final-results","tag-quarter-final-exit","tag-quarter-final-singles","tag-quarterfinal-tennis-match","tag-rafael-jodar","tag-regular-hitting-partners","tag-romania","tag-russian-seals","tag-seals-french-open","tag-semi-finals","tag-sexist-ump-swipe","tag-southern-europe","tag-spain","tag-sports","tag-straight-sets","tag-straight-sets-victory","tag-tennis-magazine","tag-tennis-villain-bristles","tag-told-tennis-website","tag-top-italian-seed","tag-tournament-director","tag-tournament-this-kind","tag-umpire-comments","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-western-europe","tag-world-number"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/711450","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=711450"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/711450\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/711451"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=711450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=711450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=711450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}