Alexander Zverev takes a cheeky dig at his father after the French Open final
Alexander Zverev couldn’t resist taking a cheeky swipe at his father and coach after clinching a place in the French Open final on Friday, joking that the man who has guided his career for more than two decades still refuses to offer him much advice. Zverev will face Flavio Cobolli in the French Open final after Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi pulled out of the semi-final against his compatriot due to a viral illness.
Zverev made his second Roland Garros final with a 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory over rising Czech star Jakub Menšík on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The German was made to work harder than in most of his previous matches, with the 20-year-old breaking a set and forcing him into a fourth set for only the second time in the tournament.
However, the world number three held her nerve at crucial moments to continue her impressive run in Paris and move within one win of a maiden Grand Slam title.
With top rivals Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner already out of the tournament, Zverev has become the clear favorite to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires on Sunday. Yet the 29-year-old’s subdued post-match celebrations reflected a player who was aware his work was far from over.
A light moment came during his post-match interview with former French Open finalist Alex Correja, who asked Zverev about the role his coaching staff played in helping him reach another major final.
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Zverev, whose father Alexander Zverev Sr. coached throughout his professional career, drew a response that immediately drew laughter from the crowd.
“My coach didn’t say anything to me for 25 years. I wish he would say something to me sometime,” Zverev said on TNT Sports.
Corretja then gave him the opportunity to soften the joke and say something complimentary about his father. Instead, he doubled Zverev.
“No, I’ve lost so many matches in my life and he still didn’t say anything. So it doesn’t change,” he added with a smile.
The exchange offered a glimpse into the unique relationship between Zverev and his father, who has been a constant presence throughout his career and remains one of the most influential figures in his tennis journey.
While the jokes grabbed attention, Zverev quickly returned to the task at hand.
The German admitted he would prefer to keep his mind clear for the championship match, although his comments suggested he wouldn’t mind getting some tactical input from his father ahead of the biggest game of his career.
Former world number one Jim Courier was among those impressed by Zverev’s performance and, more importantly, his measured reaction after reaching the final.
“His work isn’t over and he’s celebrating like it’s not. This is just another step toward where he ultimately wants to end up, which is with his hands on the trophy,” Courier said on TNT Sports.
“He’s done exceptionally well in these six matches. Zverev knocks out a couple of youngsters – Rafael Jodar and Menšík. He’s a veteran in this tournament.”
“He’s the No. 2 seed, but he’s never been considered a favorite, but now he’s going to be in the final when he’s there.”
A Grand Slam title has long been absent from Zverev’s career despite several deep runs at major tournaments. Last year at Roland Garros, he came agonizingly close before falling short in the final, and now he has another chance to end that wait.
Sunday’s victory would be historic for Zverev and German tennis. He would become the first German to win a Grand Slam singles title since Michael Stich triumphed at Wimbledon in 1991, and would also rank among the oldest first Open Era men’s major champions.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
05 Jun 2026 22:16 IST