PARIS (AP) 鈥� lost early. withdrew due to injury.
The pressure has been on to finally win an elusive Grand Slam title and now the second-seeded German is only one victory away from raising the trophy.
Zverev reached the fourth major final of his career after beating 20-year-old 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in the Roland Garros semifinals on Friday.
In Sunday鈥檚 final, Zverev will face 14th-ranked Flavio Cobolli.
Cobolli advanced when 104th-ranked Matteo Arnaldi withdrew before their due to a virus.
Arnaldi spent 19 hours, 42 minutes on court to reach the semifinal 鈥� more than anyone at a Grand Slam since 1991. He said he was vomiting overnight.
鈥淚 tried to get ready … but every time I get up I feel dizzy,鈥� Arnaldi said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 move and I can鈥檛 eat and I can鈥檛 drink. So there was really no way that I will be able to play.鈥�
Zverev has been an overwhelming favorite for the title ever since the top-ranked Sinner struggled in the first week鈥檚 and wasted a two set and 5-1 lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round.
Alcaraz, the two-time reigning champion, withdrew before the tournament with an injured right wrist.
The 27th-ranked Mensik, who was playing in his first Grand Slam semifinal, struggled with five double faults.
Mensik overcame post-match cramps that landed him in a wheelchair last week, got past Andrey Rublev in five sets, and beat in straight sets in the quarterfinals.
鈥淗e beat so many unbelievable players. I knew it was going to be the toughest challenge that I had so far. And I managed. I won. I鈥檓 happy,鈥� Zverev said.
It will be Zverev鈥檚 second French Open final, having wasted a lead of two sets to one against Alcaraz in the .
Zverev had an even bigger advantage 鈥� two sets to none 鈥� in the and lost that one, too, to Dominic Thiem. He was also beaten in straight sets by Sinner in the .
鈥淭hat鈥檚 in the past,鈥� Zverev said of his loss to Thiem. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 try to think too much about it before Sunday.鈥�
Wind and mishits
Despite overcast and windy conditions at the start, the roof was open on Court Philippe-Chatrier and both players struggled with mishits early on.
Mensik relied often on serve-and-volley tactics while Zverev was more solid from the baseline of the red clay court.
Mensik double-faulted twice late in the first set, leading to the first break.
Zverev broke again early in the second after running down a drop shot from Mensik and then went ahead 5-2 when Mensik double-faulted again.
Mensik’s medical timeout
Early in the third, Mensik had his neck treated by a trainer and then left the court for a medical timeout.
When play resumed, Zverev moved Mensik off the court with well-angled shots and the Czech player threw his racket in desperation at a ball he knew he couldn鈥檛 reach.
There were more shouts for 鈥淪ascha鈥� 鈥� Zverev鈥檚 nickname 鈥� but the crowd attempted to help Mensik back into the match with chants of 鈥淟et鈥檚 go, Mensik, Let鈥檚 go.鈥�
When Mensik produced two well-executed drop shots to finally break Zverev鈥檚 serve and take a 4-2 lead in the third, he pumped his fist as the crowd came to life.
It was just the second set that Zverev dropped in the tournament.
鈥淗e started playing amazing the third set,鈥� Zverev said. 鈥淭his is best-of-five-set matches: You know things (are) going to happen. Opponents are going to play better. You have to deal with it. You have to manage it. I did. And I hope to play another great match on Sunday.鈥�
When Mensik rushed the net after a slice serve to the deuce court midway through the fourth set and Zverev used his long wingspan to produce a looping cross-court return that dipped over the net beyond his reach, Mensik just smiled 鈥� perhaps realizing in that moment that Zverev simply had too much game for him.
Abuse allegations
Moments after Zverev鈥檚 last Grand Slam final in Australia in 2025, a person in the stadium yelled out the names of two of his ex-girlfriends who .
One case was resolved following an agreement between German prosecutors, lawyers for Zverev and his former partner. The ATP Tour investigated another case and concluded there was insufficient evidence.
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