Playing in his 41st Grand Slam, and his 11th Roland-Garros, Zverev has banged on the door too many times to count, but playing in eras dominated first by the Big 3, then by Alcaraz and Sinner has been his kryptonite.
He’s never been able to bust the door down.
“It’s taken him a long time to get to this point where it’s his Slam to win or lose,” Wozniacki said. “It’s been a family thing for them. I think for all of them to reach the pinnacle of tennis and win a Grand Slam, I think it would mean everything to them as a family.”
So far so good for Team Zverev. After today’s 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Jakub Mensik, he’s one win from exorcising his demons, and he enters Sunday’s clash with Cobolli in arguably the best form of his life. Zverev has won 18 of his last 20 matches at Roland-Garros. He’s 11-1 in majors this year, his only loss a five-setter to Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open semifinals.
One more win and it will all change for Zverev. So what’s on his mind as the most important moment of his career approaches?
“Pure emptiness, there’s absolutely nothing in my head… sometimes it’s easier to be stupid than to think too much,” he said with a smile.