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Who will cope with pressure in Paris men’s semi-finals?Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Alexander Zverev will contest his 11th Grand Slam semi-final, while the other three are playing their firstByJonathan Jurejko
“Pressure is a privilege, and champions adjust,” the iconic Billie Jean King once stated.
That phrase has become a mantra for the following generations of players – and it will be particularly pertinent on Friday at the French Open.
Either Alexander Zverev, Jakub Mensik, Flavio Cobolli or Matteo Arnaldi will become a first-time Grand Slam champion at a Roland Garros that has produced startling results.
With such a sense of opportunity, which one of the final four will cope best with the tension that comes with it?
Image source, Getty ImagesHeavy favourite Jannik Sinner’s shock loss in the second round meant what was expected to be a one-horse race became a free for all.
German second seed Zverev took over as the clear front-runner to claim the Coupe des Mousquetaires – but he has scar tissue from three previous Grand Slam final defeats.
The 28-year-old missed a golden opportunity in the 2020 US Open final when he blew a two-set lead against Austria’s Dominic Thiem.
In the 2024 French Open final, he came up against a better opponent in Carlos Alcaraz – whose emergence alongside Sinner meant many thought Zverev had missed his chance to land a major.
Zverev was also undone in last year’s Australian Open final by Sinner, who produced a merciless performance which led to the German saying he felt mentally “empty” a few months later.
With Alcaraz, Sinner and 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic out of the way, Zverev will arguably never have a better opportunity to land the Grand Slam he has long been predicted to win.
Will Zverev keep his composure? He claims he “doesn’t care” he is considered the favourite.
“I focus on the next match and on the opponent as they cross the net, and that’s the only thing that I can control,” he stated.
“If I win those matches, then that’s great.”
Image source, Getty ImagesCzech 26th seed Mensik has long been earmarked as a talent who can provide a credible challenge to the duopoly of Sinner and Alcaraz.
The 20-year-old’s huge serve and defensive solidity is complemented by fluid movement, best demonstrated in a magnificent quarter-final win over Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca.
Equally impressive was the composure he showed to eventually see out victory on his seventh match point.
Mensik has shown he has the mentality to lift one of the biggest titles on the ATP Tour, beating Djokovic over three sets to win the Miami Open last year.
But how he will cope on the grandest stage of all?
Former French Open champion Michael Chang, the youngest man in history to win a major singles title with his 1989 French Open triumph aged 17, is not convinced youth will ensure Mensik goes all the way.
“It can be easier in some aspects if you’re not dwelling too much on it but I think there’s also a lot of pressure for some of these young guys,” stated Chang, who now coaches 20-year-old American Learner Tien.
“There are expectations – there’s no question about it. That doesn’t necessarily give them the freedom to go out there and play.”
If asked at the start of the French Open to pick which two Italian men would reach the semi-finals, every prediction would have featured Sinner.
Plenty would have plumped for 10th seed Flavio Cobolli as the second option – but few would have gone for 104th-ranked Matteo Arnaldi.
The pair are close friends who first met aged 11 at junior tournaments. Little over a decade later, they will stand across the net from each other at the pinnacle of the sport.
Cobolli possesses more experience of the biggest stage, having reached last year’s Wimbledon quarter-finals.
Does his greater pedigree bring more or less pressure?
“Depends how you live this kind of thing. I never put pressure on myself,” stated Cobolli, who was a promising footballer in Roma’s academy before focusing on tennis.
“I like to live the moment like if I was a kid, just with big passion and a big smile.”
Image source, Getty ImagesArnaldi (left) and Cobolli are Italian Davis Cup team-mates
Arnaldi finds himself in unchartered territory, having only twice made the second week of a Slam in 12 previous main-draw appearances.
A persistent foot injury stopped the 25-year-old training and competing consistently at the start of this season, and he admitted in April that the previous six months had been the toughest of his career.
He has taken full advantage of scraping into the Roland Garros main draw and spent almost 20 hours playing as he moved through the rounds.
“I can’t complain. I have been playing a lot, but at the same time, I’m happy to be on court because I miss the playing,” he added.
“I have some energy left for the next matches.”
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