This is the prestige match in this year’s quarterfinal roster. 3rd seed Alex Zverev has continued his excellent Roland Garros form this fortnight, reaching his 7th quarterfinal in eight years after Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor was forced to retire from their round of 16 clash.
2025 ATP Tour
Grand Slam Tennis
French Open
Stade Roland Garros, Paris, France (Outdoor Clay)
Selected Quarterfinals- 4th June
Alex Zverev (3) 0.93 vs Novak Djokovic (6) 0.84
The German led Griekspoor 6-4, 3-0 before the Dutchman was forced to retire due to an abdominal issue. The Dutchman led 3-0 in the first set before Zverev started to boss proceedings. Zverev clearly has unfinished business with this event, memorably tearing his ankle ligaments in that epic 2022 semifinal clash with Nadal. He reached the semis again in 2023 and went one step closer to a maiden Grand Slam title last year, going down in contentious fashion to Alcaraz in one of the most memorable finals in recent memory. Zverev started this season with yet more Grand Slam heartbreak, going down comfortably to Sinner in the Aussie Open final. He struggled in the aftermath of that result, reaching just one semifinal in his subsequent ten events (he did win on the Munich clay). But he has looked relatively untroubled this fortnight, dropping just one set as he looks to finally get that Grand Slam hoodoo off his back.
24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic looks determined to finally capture that elusive (and historic) 25th Grand Slam title. The Serbian didn’t even need his best tennis in his round of 16 clash with Cameron Norrie, breezing past the Brit 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. It was a measured performance featuring 26 winners and 28 unforced errors. The result brought up Djokovic’s 100th victory at Roland Garros (he currently possesses an imposing 100-16 record here). He is now 19-0 in 4th round French Open matches as he looks to break the recent Grand Slam hegemony of Sinner and Alcaraz. He is now on a ten-match Roland Garros winning streak, having won Olympic Gold here last season. Sure, he has benefitted from an extremely favourable draw thus far (he is yet to play a seeded player). But he knows that he will very likely need to beat the top three players in the world should he wish to become the first player- man or woman- to claim 25 Grand Slam titles.
The Verdict: Djokovic to win in five at 4.4- The Serb currently leads the head-to-head 8-5, with Djokovic retiring during their last meeting at this year’s Aussie Open (he was trailing by a set in their semifinal clash). Djokovic and Zverev share the clay-court head-to-head spoils at one win apiece, with Djokovic winning in straight sets on these courts back in 2019. I’m sensing an epic here. Zverev is looking immense while Djokovic has quietly dominated despite playing within himself. Zverev will offer Djokovic a proper test but I just cant help but feel that the steely old Serb will find a way in the end. He is the great undisputed ironman of men’s tennis and I can see him emerging victorious in five.
