The 2026 French Open has turned into an unpredictable rollercoaster, but Alexander Zverev is happily enjoying the ride with his eyes focused on his game. As top contenders, including Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, tumbled and the bracket cracked wide open, the German star knows he has become the favorite. But he does not care who stands across the net.
Alexander Zverev Is Unbothered by His Next Opponent at the French Open
In the semifinal, Czechia’s Jakub Menšík will face Zverev. When asked by reporters about his preferred opponent in the semifinal matchup in the press conference, the quarterfinal match between Menšík and Joao Fonseca was not over yet, Zverev said. “Who do I prefer to play? I don’t care at all, to be honest,” he stated candidly.
For Zverev, the math of winning a major tournament isn’t about obsessing over his opponent’s weaknesses. “For me, it’s quite simple. It’s me playing well… If I play well, then I think that’s 99% of the work.”
The Parisian clay looks more like a survival game this time. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz had already withdrawn due to a lingering right wrist injury. Soon after, an unwell Jannik Sinner bowed out early, and then, 19-year-old Brazilian phenom Fonseca sent 39-year-old Novak Djokovic packing in a stunning upset. Add in unexpected deep runs from rising Italians, and the draw has been something nobody imagined.
Zverev admitted that the top half has “opened up a lot.” He also noted that while guys like Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli have known pedigrees, 25-year-old Matteo Arnaldi has been the real revelation. “If you talk about surprise, probably Arnaldi, but again, he’s a fantastic tennis player.”
Yet, the stakes for the 29-year-old German have never been higher. Despite holding an Olympic gold medal and a trophy cabinet packed with ATP titles, he has never won a Grand Slam.
His 2026 season has been a frustrating loop of near-misses. Despite racking up over 30 match wins this year, he hasn’t hoisted a single trophy because of two specific rivals we all know. Zverev lost a five-set semifinal to Alcaraz at the Australian Open, followed by three punishing losses to Sinner in the semifinals of Indian Wells, Miami, and Monte Carlo, and one in the final in Madrid. Now, it looks like his time.
His semifinal match against Menšík is scheduled for Friday.
