Flavio Cobolli to face Alexander Zverev in Roland Garros final on Sunday

Italian Flavio Cobolli will face Alexander Zverev in the final of the 2026 French Open after his semifinal opponent Matteo Arnaldi pulled out of his last-four match due to illness on Friday (Jun 5). The 10th seed Cobolli was to participate in his first Grand Slam semis but will instead benefit from extra rest ahead of the finale. Meanwhile, Germany’s Alexander Zverev has inched closer to his maiden Grand Slam title after beating Jakub Mensik in four sets (7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3) in the first semifinal at the 2026 French Open on Friday (Jun 5).

The German, however, has endured several near misses at majors, with three final losses, including against Carlos Alcaraz at Roland Garros two years ago.

"This is a Grand Slam, it's best of five, things are going to happen, opponents are going to play better. I managed it," said Zverev. "I hope to play another great match on Sunday."

The world number three was playing in his 11th Grand Slam semis, and his experience counted against the Czech youngster Mensik. Having reached the semis of a last four for the first time, the 20-year-old won just one set before going down to the German.

Zverev has dealt well with the pressure of being the tournament favourite since the early exits of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic in the second and third rounds, respectively. He will face one last test of his mental strength on Court Philippe Chatrier in two days, but should at least be fresh physically after reaching the final, having only lost two sets in six matches.

"Pure emptiness, there's absolutely nothing in my head," insisted a smiling Zverev in his on-court interview. "We're athletes; very few of us have anything in our heads. Sometimes it's easier to be stupid and not to think too much."

The 29-year-old has been within one set of victory in two of his previous Slam finals, when facing Alcaraz in Paris in 2024 and when he blew a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem at the 2020 US Open.

Zverev is also aiming to end a 14-month title drought dating back to a clay-court event in Munich in April last year.

(With inputs from AFP)