ROLAND GARROS

May 31, 2025

Alexander Zverev

Press Conference

A. ZVEREV/F. Cobolli

6-2, 7-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Sascha, well done. Tough conditions today. How happy were you to get through in three sets?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Happy. Very happy. Yeah, it was quite hot today, and I definitely felt it on the court. I think he felt it on the court, as well.

But, yeah, happy to get through in three sets and not waste extra energy.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Today we saw Fonseca, beaten by Jack, and it looked like it was quite a big step up for him. For you, coming up, having been such a successful junior, what were the kind of big things you noticed in your first matches against top ATP players?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, I had a few very tough losses beginning in my career against top, top players. Rafa in Indian Wells. Rafa then in, where was it, Australian Open. But it was quite obvious what I was missing. I was missing physicality. I was not ready physically to compete with them for five sets throughout a longer period of time.

I haven't seen the match. I don't know. I really can't answer because I was on the court in the same time.

But there is also game styles. I think Jack really doesn't fit him. It's as simple as that. Lefty, heavy forehand to his backhand is still a little bit of a problem for Joao. That's what I assume, again, but I have not seen a single point. That's just me guessing.

But that was the case in Indian Wells. So I can't really say much else to that.

Q. The second set was more challenging. What were the keys to win it?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, you have to respect him. He's a great player. He just won Hamburg. It's not like I was playing a Lucky Loser or a qualifier or anything like that. He's in the form of his life. He's playing fantastic tennis right now.

The level was quite high in the second set. He was up twice with a break. I started feeling the heat a lot, but I was fighting. I was fighting through it. I was coming back all the time, and, you know, I'm happy of course to win the second set. I think that was very, very important.

Also, I think it gave me a mental advantage in the third set in the beginning, and I kind of ran away with it. So I'm always happy with the outcome of that.

Q. We tend to get very excited when the favorites such as you or Carlos or Novak drop sets in the first rounds of a Grand Slam. How much do you care about such things?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Who gets excited?

Q. A journalist.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Journalist, oh.

Q. How excited you get when you see that your main contenders lose sets along the way and early in the tournament? Does it send a particular message, or...

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Novak hasn't lost a set yet. Jannik, I don't think, has lost a set yet. Carlos has. I have lost a set.

But doesn't matter. I honestly think that Carlos will be in the final, to be very fair. I don't think there is anybody that, in that side of the draw, will challenge him too much, I think. I think he's the favorite, of course, before coming into the tournament. I mean, I think everybody kind of realized that.

But I think all the people that can challenge him, all the contenders, I would say, outside of him are all in the top half of the draw. I think we will have to really battle it out and I think he will enjoy watching it (smiling).

Q. In the next round you will meet Tallon Griekspoor. How do you watch him as a player?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, I don't watch him. I play him almost every week (laughter).

I don't know. He's the guy that I played the most in the last two years. I enjoy playing him. It's always fun, weird matches. You know, most of the time high level. Some of the times, just crazy things happening.

But, yeah, I mean, I'm going to get ready. I'm going to prepare myself for a battle again, and yeah, if I continue playing the way I'm playing, I have confidence in my game. And yeah, I mean, in two days' time, of course, we'll see what happens on the court. But, yeah, I'm looking forward to the match.