Day thirteen at Roland Garros was a strange semi-final day that never quite delivered the drama or quality that fans normally expect from the last four of a Grand Slam.
The opening semi-final at least provided some competitive tennis, with Alexander Zverev once again looking the most consistent and complete player left in the draw as he ended Jakub Menšík’s impressive run to move within one win of the Slam title that has narrowly eluded him throughout his career.
But the second semi-final never even got off the ground after Matteo Arnaldi withdrew shortly before taking the court due to a viral illness, sending Flavio Cobolli to his first Grand Slam final via walkover. It was a disappointing result for the Paris crowd, especially given the nature of the all-Italian semi-final and the anticipation surrounding it.
After two weeks filled with endless five-setters, collapses and chaos, the tournament has died down somewhat and now comes down to a final between the most stable player left in the draw and the explosive but inconsistent Cobolli. Hopefully it will re-emerge on Sunday to round off an interesting fortnight.
Day Thirteen French Open Semi Final Results 2026
| Winner | Loser | Do |
|---|---|---|
| Flavio Cobolli (10) | Matteo Arnaldi | Walkover |
| Alexander Zverev (2) | Jakub Mensik (26) | 7-5 6-2 3-6 6-3 |
Alexander Zverev (2) def. Jakub Mensik (26) 7-5 6-2 3-6 6-3
Alexander Zverev moved to within one win of a long-awaited first Grand Slam title on Friday, ending the impressive Roland Garros run of Jakub Menšík to reach the final in Paris for the second time in three years.
After a tournament dominated by upsets and endless five-set battles, Zverev once again looked the calmest and most complete player left in the draw.
The German handled Menšík’s power and tactical variety for much of the contest, repeatedly drawing the Czech teenager into extended baseline exchanges rather than letting him dictate with first-hand tennis.
The opening set proved crucial in this one as Menšík briefly looked to take early control when he earned three break points at 4-4 with a stingy sliding backhand winner, but Zverev responded well and saved all three before immediately punishing the missed opportunity with a break of his own at 5-5.
The Czech mixed in serve-and-volleys, drop shots and frequent net forays to stop Zverev settling into repetitive baseline patterns, and for stretches it worked well.
However, the contrast between his net game and his ground game became increasingly apparent as the match wore on, and Zverev tightened up.
Menšík saw comfortable finishing points up the lane, but his baseline consistency just wasn’t on the same level as Sascha’s.
Overall, I thought his tennis looked lackluster. Sometimes a 2-day rest is not enough for recovery, and even in the first set he looked a little tired.
After an off-court medical timeout early in the third set, Menšík returned rested and used even more variation and shorter angles to disrupt Zverev’s rhythm. The tactic worked well for a period when the 20-year-old suddenly started playing with more freedom and aggression, taking the third set to briefly raise hopes of another comeback.
But unlike several players earlier in this tournament, Zverev refused to let the momentum swing away from him, immediately recovering at the start of the fourth set, racing into a 3-0 lead before confidently handling the match from there.
His serve again proved to be a huge weapon (75% 1st serves in and 79% first serve points won) under pressure, while his willingness to flatten his groundstrokes and play a little more proactively has arguably been the biggest difference in his tennis these two weeks.
Not a semifinal to remember in terms of level, but I like the way Zverev handled his game and the circumstances.
Match statistics
| Key statistics | Jakub Mensik | Alexander Zverev |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | 32 | 42 |
| Unforced errors | 41 | 37 |
| Ace | 4 | 8 |
| Double mistake | 5 | 2 |
| 1st serving % | 61% (74/122) | 75% (78/104) |
| 1st Serve point won | 72% (53/74) | 79% (62/78) |
| 2nd serve point won | 50% (24/48) | 62% (16/26) |
| Breakpoints saved | 43% (3/7) | 75% (3/4) |
| Service game | 79% (15/19) | 95% (18/19) |
| 1st return point won | 21% (16/78) | 28% (21/74) |
| 2nd return point won | 38% (10/26) | 50% (24/48) |
| Break point won | 25% (1/4) | 57% (4/7) |
| Pressure points | 36% (4/11) | 64% (7/11) |
| Service points | 63% (77/122) | 75% (78/104) |
| Return points | 25% (26/104) | 37% (45/122) |
| Net points | 70% (38/54) | 63% (20/32) |
| Total points | 46% (103/226) | 54% (123/226) |
| Max points in a row | 5 | 6 |
| Service game | 79% (15/19) | 95% (18/19) |
| Return game | 5% (1/19) | 21% (4/19) |
| Total game | 42% (16/38) | 58% (22/38) |
| Max games in a row | 3 | 3 |
Highlights
French Open 2026, final day 15
- Flavio Cobolli (10) vs Alexander Zverev (2)
