PARIS – “Jódar plays like a tornado. When ‘Sascha’ found out who he was facing, he shuddered a bit,” was Boris Becker’s analysis before the Alexander Zverev-Rafael Jódar clash in the Roland Garros quarterfinals. But the one who shuddered this Tuesday at the Philippe Chatrier was Jódar. And the one who turned out to be a tornado was Zverev. Already in the semi-finals, he now faces Czech player Jakub Mensik.
The German downed this season’s breakout sensation 7-6 (7-3), 6-1, 6-3 to take a giant leap toward that elusive first Grand Slam title. At 29 years old, and despite being one of the most talented players of the last decade, Zverev has never lifted a Major trophy, having also lost the three finals he has contested. It is the only crown missing from a resume that boasts Masters 1000 titles, ATP Finals trophies, and an Olympic gold medal…
In the final match of the evening, Mensik knocked Brazilian Joao Fonseca out of the tournament 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3). The 20-year-old Czech is certainly not short of ambition: he has already told CLAY that his goal is “to be world number one and win every Grand Slam”.
Roland Garros 2026 has turned into a golden opportunity for Zverev. The defeats of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, combined with Carlos Alcaraz’s injury, have put him in pole position. At this stage of the tournament, in the semifinals and just two steps away from the title, his greatest rival is himself: knowing how to handle the pressure of feeling like the absolute favorite.
“I have to focus on the next match, on the things I can control,” Zverev said this Tuesday in Paris during the press conference following his victory over Jódar, trying to shake off some of the mounting pressure. “For me, it’s very simple to explain. It’s about playing well. Like I’ve said before, I have to trust my game, trust my tennis, trust myself. I think if I play well, 99 percent of the work is done.”
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This Tuesday’s match was a tough test for the world number three. He was facing the man of the hour, a Rafael Jódar who is burning through stages at a dizzying pace. The 19-year-old Spaniard, who was outside the top 700 a year ago, stormed into the Roland Garros quarterfinals with just a few months of experience on the professional tour. He possesses a cool head, a forehand that catches fire, and legs that reach everything. He will leave Paris sitting eleventh in the Race, having served notice: he is a player built for the long haul. But he also leaves with a lesson for the future: there is still plenty of work ahead to compete against the very best.
Against Zverev, much like against Sinner in Madrid, the current limits of Jódar’s game became apparent. The Spaniard started off looking like that “tornado” Becker had anticipated. However, it lasted for 40 minutes, until he dropped his serve while serving for the opening set. He never truly recovered mentally from that blow. Zverev then shifted into high gear and gave him absolutely no choice: he served like a dream—landing 80% of his first serves—dictated play with his backhand -the best shot in his repertoire-, and proved that his forehand—connecting for 28 winners—is no longer a liability but a weapon.
With Jódar’s dream over, the German is now looking ahead to Friday and his match against Mensik. It will be his fifth semi-final at Roland Garros in the last six years, a statistic that demonstrates the consistency of a player who is once again on the brink of glory. This time, there is no Sinner, Alcaraz or Djokovic standing in his way. This time, he is the player to be feared. The tornado.
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