Joao Fonseca v Jakub Mensik
These two have only faced off once before, in the final of the ATP Next Gen event in 2024, a fast-four, heavily modified tournament.
Fonseca came out on top in five tight sets, so this one – a genuine best-of-five – could be a late one.
Joao Fonseca v Jakub Mensik
2025 Miami champion Jakub Mensik has also endured his fair share of epics this French Open, winning two lengthy five-setters – against Mariano Navone in the second round and coming back from two sets to love down against Andrey Rublev in the fourth round – to make the quarter-finals.
He beat wildcard Titouan Droguet in straight sets in the first round but has otherwise been made to work for it, and recovered from a 6-0 drubbing in the first set against Alex de Minaur to beat the eighth seed in four sets in the third round.
Joao Fonseca v Jakub Mensik
Brazilian 19-year-old Joao Fonseca has had a presence in this draw as destructive as his shotmaking, having seen off 24-time major winner and all-time legend Novak Djokovic in five thrilling sets in the third round.
He backed that up with a four-set win over two-time Roland-Garros finalist Casper Ruud in the fourth round to reach the last eight.
His earlier wins were over qualifier Luka Pavlovic in the first round and a five-set epic over Dino Prizmic – in which he came back from two sets to love down, the same as against Djokovic – to win.
Up next: Joao Fonseca v Jakub Mensik
The final match of today should be a thriller as two young starlets face off for a place in the semi-final.
Joao Fonseca takes on Jakub Mensik in the night session on Philippe Chatrier, which kicks off at 8.15pm local time (7.15pm BST).
Alexander Zverev on reaching a fifth French Open semi-final: ‘I don’t really care’
Alexander Zverev does not care about reaching semi-finals. He wants the title.
“I want to keep going, of course. I want to be in the tournament, and I want to win the matches that are ahead of me, and that’s my goal, that’s my aim.
“I feel like today was a very tough test against a very good player, and I managed. I won, and of course I’m happy to be in the semi-finals, but for now, that’s it.
”He had a perfect rhythm in the first set, and I didn’t. My balls were very short, I was very defensive. Again, the conditions completely different, string intention different, the way the ball reacts off the ground was completely different, the ball was not bouncing as high, so a heavy top spin was not really beneficial. I had to flatten my shots out a little bit more.
“He was playing amazing. He outplayed me in the beginning of the first set. But I managed to come back. He played a little bit of a nervous game, when he served for it, and then, yeah, I took my chance as well, and after that it was, it was a good match for me.”
Rafael Jodar’s excellent breakout run ends in French Open quarter-finals
What a debut it’s been for Rafael Jodar. His second appearance at a grand slam and he only went and made the quarter-finals at the age of 19. He played some long matches, showed brilliant fight and grit, and will surely be back for lots more.
GAME, SET AND MATCH! Alexander Zverev returns to semi-finals
Zverev is through, 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-3 to the second seed as he closes in on his first major title! He is back into the French Open semi-finals for a fifth time in six years.
After a competitive first set, Zverev tightened his grip on the match and the 19-year-old Jodar faded in the second and third. He had a break point chance late in the third but Zverev found back-to-back aces to close it out. On match point, he thunders a forehand winner down the line. What a way to finish.
He will be the favourite against either Jakub Mensik, 20, or Joao Fonseca, 19, in the semi-finals. With experience on his side, as he bids for a fourth grand slam final, is this Zverev’s time at last?
*Rafael Jodar 6-7 1-6 3-5 Alexander Zverev
This was looking super assured from Alexander Zverev until he suddenly shanks a forehand that skipped off the chalk and has to look at 30-30.
Zverev then lasts wide on the backhand! From nowhere Rafael Jodar will have a look at break point, for the first time since the start of the opening set.
Zverev produces a huge serve down the T, then another ace out wide, to take the racket out of Jodar’s hand.
Rafael Jodar 6-7 1-6 2-3 Alexander Zverev*
Alexander Zverev remains a break up. He is three games away from a fifth Roland Garros semi-final in six years. His previous two defeats in the tournament came against Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.
2025: Djokovic – quarter-finals
2024: Alcaraz – final
2023: Ruud – semi-finals
2022: Retired vs Nadal – semi-finals
2021: Tsitsipas – semi-finals
BREAK! Rafael Jodar 6-7 1-6 0-1 Alexander Zverev*
The fight is slipping from Rafael Jodar. He goes long of the baseline, with this one definitely out as the umpire checks the mark, before slumping a backhand into the net down two break points. Since serving for the set at 5-3 in the first set, the 19-year-old has only won a couple of games.
