Alexander Zverev cruised past Rafael Jodar to keep his quest for a maiden Grand Slam title alive at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik ended Joao Fonseca's remarkable run in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Zverev Dominates Jodar
Zverev, the highest-ranked player remaining in the men's draw, ended Spanish teenager Jodar's impressive debut at Roland Garros with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 victory. The 29-year-old German is now the clear favorite for his first Grand Slam title, having finished runner-up three times, including at the 2024 French Open.
"I want to win the matches that are ahead of me, that is my goal, that is my aim," said Zverev, who has dropped only one set en route to the semifinals. "I'm happy to be in the semifinals, for now." This marks the fifth time in six years he has reached this stage in Paris.
For Jodar, the toll of consecutive five-set matches appeared to catch up with him after he squandered a 5-2 lead in the opening set under the closed roof on Court Philippe Chatrier. The 19-year-old, ranked 707th a year ago, was playing in only his second major.
Mensik Ousts Fonseca
Zverev will next face Czech youngster Mensik, who upset Brazilian sensation Fonseca 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) in the night match. The 20-year-old Mensik extended his best Grand Slam run, needing seven match points to overcome the stubborn Fonseca.
"It was one of my best performances so far," said Mensik. "I knew it was going to be a tough one." The quarterfinal was the youngest at Roland Garros since a 20-year-old Rafael Nadal beat a 19-year-old Novak Djokovic in 2006.
Fonseca, who had impressed with wins over Djokovic and Casper Ruud, ran out of steam against an opponent who could rival him for future major titles. "Coming from a little injury and not having any expectation for this tournament and doing a great run... it's a positive week," said Fonseca, who had been dealing with a wrist issue before the event. "This tournament gives me more conviction and more confidence to keep going."
Women's Semifinals Set
Marta Kostyuk and Mirra Andreeva will meet on Thursday for a place in the women's final. Kostyuk held her nerve to defeat compatriot Elina Svitolina 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 in the first all-Ukrainian women's quarterfinal at a Grand Slam in the Open era. The 23-year-old extended her unbeaten clay-court streak to 17 matches, reaching her first Grand Slam semifinal.
"I'm very happy I found a way. It was very difficult in the first two sets," said Kostyuk, who dedicated her victory to the people of Ukraine after the country was hit by hundreds of Russian drones and missiles early Tuesday, killing at least 23 people. "We had another difficult night in Ukraine, especially in Kyiv where so many people died, so I want to give this match to Ukraine."
Svitolina, 31, fell at the Roland Garros quarterfinal stage for the sixth time, the only major where she has not reached the last four. Kostyuk, an outspoken supporter of Ukraine during the ongoing war with Russia, will next face Russian teenager Andreeva, whom she beat in the Madrid Open final last month. "I usually never care who is on the other side of the net. I'm there to play tennis and do my job, and that's it," said Kostyuk.
Andreeva breezed into her second French Open semifinal with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Romania's Sorana Cirstea, who plans to retire at the end of the season. The eighth seed needed less than an hour to dispatch the 36-year-old Cirstea, who was appearing in the Paris quarterfinals for the first time since 2009. "I'm super happy that I'm going to be playing in semis again," said Andreeva. "I felt like it was one of my best matches so far this tournament."
Andreeva atoned for her 2025 quarterfinal loss to French outsider Lois Boisson, as rain and strong winds arrived in Paris after last week's heatwave. "I was just trying to have flashbacks only about the weather and only about the court with closed roof, not about how I played. I'm happy that I could turn it around," she added.
