Alexander Zverev booked his place in the French Open final with a 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory over 20-year-old Jakub Mensik. The World No. 3 needed three hours to secure his fourth Grand Slam final appearance. Having not faced a top-10 opponent during the tournament, Mensik was the highest-ranked player Zverev had encountered so far. Fresh off an impressive win over 28th seed Joao Fonseca, the Czech arrived full of confidence and managed to test the German at several stages of the match.

But when the on-court interviewer tried to turn the moment into a celebration, Zverev quickly made it clear that his focus was already on what comes next.

“Not much at the moment. We still have a match to play on Sunday and that’s what we’re here for, that’s what we’re focusing on. I want to play the best possible match and just focus on that,” Zverev said, deflecting the emotion with characteristic directness.

The German was asked what he was most proud of across his two weeks in Paris, having dropped just two sets en route to the final.

“I’ve always found a way even when things got difficult. I feel like today Jakub starting playing amazing tennis in the third set and I found a way straight away in the fourth set. Today definitely was the toughest challenge. He played some amazing tennis throughout the entire two weeks. I’m happy with the win for sure,” he added.

The match was a true reflection of that. Zverev’s serve prowess was the most potent weapon he had throughout, as he recorded 75% first serves compared to Mensik’s 61%, while also posting 42 winners to just 37 unforced errors. The first set was the only close one, with Zverev taking it 7-5 after breaking at 5-5. He then rushed through the second 6-2. Mensik had two break points at 4-3 in the first set and could not convert, and those missed opportunities set the tone. 

The Czech received treatment on his neck at 2-1 in the third set, and when he returned, he produced the best tennis of his afternoon, taking the set 6-3 to give the crowd something to cheer. His net game was clinical, winning 38 net points but a handful of missed shots on big points, and the absence of the extraordinary moments that had carried him past Joao Fonseca earlier in the draw, meant the momentum never truly shifted. 

In the fourth set, Zverev was not to be stopped after taking a break in the second game. The afternoon was summarized by Mensik’s backhand hitting the net, and it was done. A first Grand Slam semifinal is still a proud moment for the 20-year-old. The occasion, the number of hours spent on court by those legs in the Paris heat, which were significantly more than his opponent’s and Zverev’s experience, simply caught up with him at the end.