Paris, June 3: Second-seeded Alexander Zverev secured his spot in the semifinals of the French Open by defeating young player Rafael Jodar with a score of 7-6 (3), 6-1, 6-3. This victory marks Zverev’s fifth semifinal appearance at Roland Garros in six years.
In the quarterfinal match held at Court Philippe-Chatrier, the 19-year-old Spanish player initially challenged Zverev, taking a lead of 5-2 in the first set. However, the 29-year-old German remained unfazed. After a remarkable comeback, Zverev clinched the match in 2 hours and 17 minutes.
Despite Jodar’s impressive form this season, with 19 wins on clay courts, he seemed poised to take the first set. He broke Zverev’s serve and established a 5-2 advantage. Yet, Zverev showcased his skill, winning five out of the next six games to push the set into a tiebreak. He quickly leveled the score at 3-3 and then won four consecutive points to take the set.
From that point on, Zverev dominated the match. Winning 71% of points on his first serve and delivering powerful forehands, he won seven consecutive games after leveling the second set at 1-1, establishing a strong lead in the match.
This year, Zverev has lost only one set in five matches at the tournament. With top players like Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic eliminated, Zverev considers himself a strong contender for his first Grand Slam title. His next opponent will be either Jakub Mensik or Joao Fonseca.
After the match, Zverev commented, “It was quite difficult. He was in rhythm during the first set. I was playing too defensively. The ball wasn’t bouncing high, so I had to play more directly. I want to keep progressing in the tournament. I aim to win matches that I couldn’t win before. Today was a tough test against a very good player, and I succeeded. I’m happy to reach the semifinals.”
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