Zverev beats Mensik at French Open, nears elusive Slam title - ESPN

Jannik Sinner lost early. Carlos Alcaraz withdrew due to injury.

So the pressure has been on Alexander Zverev to finally win an elusive Grand Slam title. Now the second-seeded German is one victory away from raising the French Open trophy.

Zverev reached the fourth major final of his career after beating 20-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in the Roland Garros semifinals Friday. The 27th-ranked Mensik, who was playing in his first Grand Slam semifinal, struggled with five double faults.

In Sunday's final, Zverev will face 14th-ranked Flavio Cobolli or 104th-ranked Matteo Arnaldi, who were playing in an all-Italian semifinal later.

Zverev has been an overwhelming favorite for the title ever since the top-ranked Sinner struggled in the first week's heat wave and wasted a two-set, 5-1 lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round. Alcaraz, the two-time reigning champion, withdrew before the tournament with an injured right wrist.

Zverev didn't face an opponent in the top 25 of the ATP Rankings en route to making the final. He is the first player to make a major final without facing an ATP top-25 player since the last time Zverev did it at the 2020 US Open.

It will be Zverev's second French Open final, having wasted a lead of two sets to one against Alcaraz in the 2024 championship match.

Zverev had an even bigger advantage — two sets to none — in the 2020 US Open final and lost that one to Dominic Thiem. He was beaten in straight sets by Sinner in the 2025 Australian Open final.

Despite overcast and windy conditions at the start Friday, the roof was open on Court Philippe Chatrier and both players struggled with mis-hits early on.

Mensik relied often on serve-and-volley tactics while Zverev was more