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Zverev regroups to win in four

German world No.3 is highest ranked player left in men's draw

Alexander Zverev, R3, Roland-Garros 2026
©Pierre Froget / FFT
 - Victoria Chiesa

On Thursday, No.1 seed Jannik Sinner lost his second round match from two-sets-to-love up. On Friday afternoon, No.3 seed Novak Djokovic did the same.

On Friday night, second seed Alexander Zverev wasn’t about to let the trend continue.

The highest-ranked player remaining in the men’s draw in one of the most unpredictable Parisian fortnights in recent memory, the German regrouped after dropping the third set to beat France’s Quentin Halys 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 to advance to the fourth round in Paris for the ninth year in a row.

I feel good even though I had a little bit of a let-down today

Zverev looked on course for an easy night session when he led one of two Frenchmen remaining in the draw 6-4, 6-3, 2-0.

But things got complicated late as Halys upped his aggression and landed a flurry of winners. After being two points away from a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 win, Zverev lost three straight games to extend his evening shift a little longer.

But the 2024 finalist reset strongly to start the fourth by sprinting in front 3-0 before the first sitdown, and wrapped up the win after just over three hours on court at close to 1am on Saturday morning.

Zverev said he just needed to “stay with [his] game” in response to the rise in level from Halys.

“[I knew] I’m going to get my chances and I did in the fourth set,” he said. “I’m very happy with the level in the end and that I could finish it.”

Much will be made of Zverev’s chances to win the title as the tournament winds into the second week. But the German says his focus remains on what he can control even as surprises have unfolded around him.

“I feel good even though I had a little bit of a let-down today,” he said.

“I feel like my level is there and I’m going to do everything I can in the second week to continue playing good tennis, hopefully play even better and give myself the best chance to win all the matches that I play.”

One of those surprise packages stands between Zverev and another quarterfinal.

The 29-year-old will next meet lucky loser Jesper de Jong. The Dutchman took a set off Zverev at last year’s Roland Garros, but the world No.3 owns a 2-0 head-to-head record against him.