Alexander Zverev begins his French Open campaign with a first-round clash against Benjamin Bonzi on Sunday. The German will hope that his recurring back troubles are behind him as he looks to finally end his Grand Slam drought. However, Bonzi will have the support of the Paris crowd and will be eager to make things difficult for the second seed.
Alexander Zverev vs Benjamin Bonzi Match Details
Date: May 24, 2026
Tournament: French Open 2026
Round: First Round (Round of 128)
Venue: Roland Garros Stadium, Paris, France
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Category: Grand Slam
Live Telecast: HBO Max, TNT, TSN
Zverev vs Bonzi Head-to-Head Record
This will be the first meeting between these two players on the ATP Tour. Zverev heads into the French Open after a mixed start to his clay-court season.
The 29-year-old has made two semifinals and one final, but has not been able to overcome the Jannik Sinner hurdle. He has also suffered shock losses against Flavio Cobolli and Luciano Darderi. Add to that his back troubles, and there is some real uncertainty surrounding his French Open campaign.
Bonzi hasn’t played much on the ATP Tour this year and holds a 2-3 win-loss record. He did make his mark in Madrid by taking a set against Sinner, something Zverev hasn’t managed to do in his last 6 meetings against the Italian.
The 29-year-old has claimed some famous wins over the years, including his triumph over Daniil Medvedev at the 2017 French Open. He also defeated Casper Ruud and Cameron Norrie en route to winning the 2024 Moselle Open.
Zverev vs Bonzi Prediction and Pick
Zverev will be the overwhelming favorite to win this one and start his French Open campaign on a high note. He has a decent record in Paris and is enjoying a strong clay-court season, even though he hasn’t won an ATP Tour title in more than a year.
The German will be confident in using his clay-court prowess to overcome Bonzi. Although the home favorite will also feel that he will get his chances to at least make things difficult for the world No. 3. Zverev tends to lose his concentration at times, especially in the early rounds of tournaments. And that is something Bonzi can use to his advantage.
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Still, winning three sets against the second seed will likely prove too much for the French hope. We are backing Zverev to come through unscathed in this first-round matchup.
Pick – Zverev in straight sets.
