PARIS — Alexander Zverev said that he “feels fine” and does not think French Open final opponent Flavio Cobolli will have an advantage due to his last-four walkover after Matteo Arnaldi’s withdrawal.
Second seed Zverev eased into his fourth Grand Slam final with a four-set win over Jakub Mensik and will take on Cobolli on Sunday as he eyes a long-awaited first major title.
Italian 10th seed Cobolli did not even have to play his semifinal after Arnaldi pulled out shortly before their scheduled match due to illness.
“Not really, because I feel fine,” Zverev said when asked if he thinks Cobolli has an advantage.
“I didn’t have brutally long matches. I honestly feel like I could play again now, so not really,” Zverev added according to AFP.
German Zverev has only dropped two sets while making serene progress through the draw at Roland Garros.
He will be hoping to put his previous Grand Slam final heartbreaks behind him.
Zverev lost his first major final to Dominic Thiem at the 2020 US Open, blowing a two-set lead at Flushing Meadows.
“That was exactly the time when I had real struggles with my serve and my second serve,” the 29-year-old said of that match six years ago in New York.
“I knew that my serve could break down at any moment. That’s one difference that I do feel now, luckily for me.
“I was up two sets to love. I was a break up. I was serving for the match, and it didn’t happen. That’s in the past, and I don’t try to think too much about it before Sunday.”
Mensik had impressed over the fortnight at Roland Garros but came up short on Friday in his first Grand Slam semifinal.
The Czech youngster had his chances in a tight first set and extended the match by taking the third, but could not push Zverev all the way.
“Sascha (Zverev) is, you know, third in the world for a reason,” said the 26th seed.
“Sascha is a very tough guy on the court. I mean, he’s not giving you any free points.
“It’s very tough to find the rhythm, especially when he’s staying so, so much back, and you feel like you’re hitting the wall.”
