Alexander Zverev has now advanced to another step closer to winning his first Grand Slam. The German star has advanced to the semifinals of the French Open for the fifth time in his career, dispatching 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-3 on Court Philippe-Chatrier
Zverev reaches fifth Roland Garros semifinal with straight-sets win over Jodar
The second-seeded German, a runner-up in 2024, overcame an early scare in the first set where Jodar led 5-2. Zverev stormed back to take the tiebreak and then dominated the remainder of the match, winning 17 of the next 22 games after the slow start. The victory marks his fifth semifinal appearance in Paris and places him among an elite group as just the ninth man in the Open Era to reach at least five French Open semifinals.
Zverev has now reached the last four in five of his last six appearances at Roland Garros, underlining his consistency on the clay. With top favorites Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic already eliminated and Carlos Alcaraz not in the competition, the 2026 draw has opened up significantly, positioning the world No. 2 as one of the leading contenders for his first Grand Slam title.
Jodar, who had enjoyed a breakout run as a teenager, including a comeback from two sets down in the previous round, showed flashes of quality but couldn't sustain his challenge against Zverev's power and experience. Zverev will face another young talent, Jakub Mensik, in the semifinals as he aims to go one step further than his previous deep runs in Paris.
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