Zverev reaches French Open final, Cobolli gets walkover

Alexander Zverev is one step closer to a maiden Grand Slam title after defeating Jakub Mensik in the French Open semifinals. The German secured his spot in the final with a 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory.

This marks Zverev's second appearance in the French Open final. He previously lost in the final two years ago and has reached three major finals in his career, including a near-miss at the US Open in 2020 and a loss at the Australian Open last year. Zverev will face Italian 10th seed Flavio Cobolli in Sunday's championship match.

Cobolli advanced to the final via a semi-final walkover after his compatriot Matteo Arnaldi withdrew due to a viral illness. This will be Cobolli's first Grand Slam final, and he is projected to enter the top 10 in the world rankings. "It’s something you don’t expect at all," Cobolli said of his opponent's withdrawal. "The only thing we’ll celebrate is breaking into the top 10."

Meanwhile, the women's singles final at Roland Garros will also feature two first-time Grand Slam finalists: 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva and qualifier Maja Chwalinska. The early exits of top seeds like Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, and Aryna Sabalenka opened the path for new contenders to emerge.

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It’s something you don’t expect at all. I was ready to play this match. The only thing we’ll celebrate is breaking into the top 10.