Zverev ends teenager Jódar's Roland Garros run to reach fifth Paris semifinal
Alexander Zverev defeated 19-year-old Rafael Jódar 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-3 on Tuesday to reach his fifth Roland Garros semifinal, ending the Spanish teenager's breakout run at the tournament.
The match
Alexander Zverev, the world number three and second seed in Paris, ended the run of Spanish teenager Rafael Jódar in the Roland Garros quarterfinals on Tuesday, winning 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-3 in two hours and 25 minutes. The match was played under a closed roof on Court Philippe-Chatrier after heavy rain fell on the clay courts.
Jódar, 19 years old and ranked 29th in the world, started the match with remarkable confidence. He built a 5-2 lead in the first set and had a chance to serve for it at 5-3, but lost his service game to love. The set went to a tiebreak, where Zverev prevailed 7-3. From that point, the German took control, winning the second set 6-1 in just 37 minutes and breaking early in the third to close out the match.
What a relief.
Zverev served effectively throughout, recording an 80% first-serve success rate and seven aces. His two-handed backhand and powerful forehand became increasingly dominant as the match progressed, while Jódar, who had played two consecutive five-set matches earlier in the tournament, faded physically.
Zverev's opportunity
With defending champion Carlos Alcaraz absent through injury and both Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic eliminated earlier in the tournament, Zverev is now the highest-ranked player remaining in the men's draw. The 29-year-old German has reached the Roland Garros semifinals for the fifth time and was a finalist in 2024. He is still seeking his first Grand Slam title, a fact that has shadowed his career.
If he wants to finally win a Grand Slam, he will have to dare more.
Observers in the tennis world see this edition as Zverev's clearest path yet to a major trophy. The quarterfinal lineup featured unexpected names — Flavio Cobolli, Matteo Arnaldi, Matteo Berrettini, Jakub Mensik, and Jódar himself — after the early exits of the sport's established stars.
Jódar's debut
For Jódar, this was his first appearance in a Grand Slam quarterfinal and only his second major tournament. He arrived at Roland Garros as the main hope of the Spanish contingent and confirmed his promise by reaching the last eight. His run included a debut win over Aleksandar Kovacevic and a five-set comeback against Pablo Carreño in the round of 16.
I belong here.
At 19, Jódar has completed just six months on the professional tour and has played 36 career matches, winning 11. His performance in Paris earned him respect from both fans and opponents. Spanish tennis has had a semifinalist at Roland Garros every year since 2017, a streak maintained by Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz until now.
What comes next
Zverev will face the winner of the quarterfinal between 20-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik (seeded 26th) and 19-year-old Brazilian João Fonseca (seeded 28th), scheduled for the evening session on Tuesday. The semifinal will pit Zverev against another member of the emerging generation of ATP players.
- Match begins under closed roof on Philippe-Chatrier. Jódar breaks early, builds 5-2 lead.
- Jódar serves for first set at 5-3 but loses game to love. Set goes to tiebreak.
- Zverev wins tiebreak 7-3. First set ends after 63 minutes.
- Zverev dominates second set 6-1 in 37 minutes.
- Zverev breaks early in third set and closes match 6-3. Total time: 2h 25m.
For Jódar, the defeat marks the end of a tournament that established him as a future contender. He left the court to applause, taking a final look around Philippe-Chatrier. His team included his father and Dr. Ignacio Pérez Buendía, physician for the Spanish Tennis Federation.
