Alexander Zverev will step onto Court Philippe-Chatrier on Sunday for his fourth Grand Slam final. At 29, the German has become the most consistent performer in Major semifinals without ever lifting the trophy. It is a paradox that speaks to both his strength and his fragility.
It all started at the 2020 US Open, in a spectator-free Arthur Ashe Stadium. Trailing Dominic Thiem by two sets, Zverev clawed his way back to lead 2-1 before falling in five. The bitter taste of that missed opportunity has never left him. Four years later at Roland Garros, the script repeated against Carlos Alcaraz: a tight match, stretches of dominance, then the final collapse. In January 2025, the Australian Open offered a third chance that ended in a third heartbreak.
This Roland Garros, Zverev has played with the composure of a champion. Seeded second, he dropped just one set in five matches before the semifinal against Jakub Menšík. Against the 20-year-old Czech, the German delivered a commanding performance: 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. After conceding the third set, he immediately reset, racing to 3-0 in the fourth and never looking back. A 75% first-serve rate, 79% of first-serve points won, four breaks of serve: the stat sheet of a man on a mission.
Tomorrow he will face Flavio Cobolli, the tenth seed who advanced following Matteo Arnaldi's withdrawal due to illness. The Italian is contesting his very first Grand Slam final. On paper, this is the most favourable opponent Zverev has faced at this stage. But that is precisely the kind of setup that weighs on a player's shoulders: expectations are sky-high, and recent history is a reminder that nothing is guaranteed for the world No. 2.
At 29, Zverev knows chances like this are not unlimited. Djokovic, Alcaraz and Sinner continue to lurk. The window is open, perhaps wider than it has ever been. The Grand Slam hunter has his best opportunity yet.
