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Zverev Reaches French Final, First Without Top-25 Win Since 2020

6/5/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Alexander Zverev beat 26th seed Jakub Mensik 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the French Open final.
Alexander Zverev is first to reach a Grand Slam final without beating a top-25 opponent since his 2020 US Open win.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner’s loss and Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal left Alexander Zverev the favorite.
A win would make Alexander Zverev the fifth-oldest major champion, while he says he ignores pressure.

History

Historical Context

Alexander Zverev captured his first Grand Slam at the 2020 US Open, defeating Dominic Thiem in the final. Six years later he appears in the 2024 French Open final, seeking to become the latest player to win a major after the era of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. The match concluded with a historic fifth-set tiebreak.

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Story summary

Alexander Zverev beat 26th seed Jakub Mensik 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the French Open final.
Alexander Zverev is first to reach a Grand Slam final without beating a top-25 opponent since his 2020 US Open win.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner’s loss and Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal left Alexander Zverev the favorite.
A win would make Alexander Zverev the fifth-oldest major champion, while he says he ignores pressure.

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