Alexander Zverev Dismisses the Notion of Novak Djokovic Being a ‘Dark Horse’ at This Year’s Roland Garros Ahead of Their Matchup

Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic will play for the first time since their incomplete Australian Open semifinal earlier this year.

Alexander Zverev Dismisses the Notion of Novak Djokovic Being a ‘Dark Horse’ at This Year’s Roland Garros Ahead of Their Matchup

Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic (Images via X)

Alexander Zverev was asked about the idea of Novak Djokovic being a “dark horse” at this year’s Roland Garros. The German star quickly dismissed the notion, stating that Djokovic hasn’t won 24 Grand Slam titles for no reason.

Zverev and Djokovic are set to face each other in the Roland Garros quarterfinals on Wednesday, June 4. However, the German is not ruling out the Serb in his predictions for the Roland Garros title.

I mean, the guy won 24 Grand Slams. He’s never gonna be a black horse. He definitely knows how to play tennis. He definitely knows what it means to be on a big stage and play big matches. There’s no doubt about that. Of course, until this moment I’ve had to focus on my matches… Novak Djokovic will never be a black horse.

Alexander Zverev said in his Roland Garros press conference

This will be their first meeting since their unfinished Australian Open semifinal earlier this year. Zverev won the opening set before Djokovic retired due to a knee injury.

For me, Carlos is the favorite. I would say the next three in line are Jannik, myself, and Novak. I still believe that. I still believe that in tennis and experience, Novak is up there with us. I think from now on, I have the toughest draw in the tournament. So I’m looking forward to the battles ahead. I’m looking forward to playing the best in the world.

Alexander Zverev added

Zverev went on to reach his third Grand Slam final at the Australian Open but lost to Jannik Sinner in straight sets. Despite that, Djokovic is seen as the favorite, especially after regaining confidence with his title win in Geneva.

Novak Djokovic reaches Roland Garros quarterfinals

Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic reached a major milestone on Monday at Roland Garros by earning his 100th career win at the tournament. The 38-year-old defeated Cameron Norrie 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals for the 16th straight year. He became only the second player to reach 100 victories at the French Open, joining Rafael Nadal.

Novak Djokovic Roland Garros
Novak Djokovic (via Roland Garros/X)

With this win, Djokovic improved to 19-0 in fourth-round matches at Roland Garros. He now faces third seed Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals. Djokovic holds an 8-5 edge in their head-to-head matchups, though he retired during their last meeting in January at the Australian Open.

Djokovic entered the match well prepared, having already beaten Norrie recently in Geneva. He controlled the first set by neutralizing Norrie’s attempts to engage in long rallies. Despite a few errors early in the second set, Djokovic found his rhythm again with precise shots and sharp net play.

Norrie took a medical timeout for his ankle during the second set, which appeared to disrupt his pace. Djokovic took full advantage, winning eight of the final ten games to close out the match in just over two hours. Now ranked No. 6, Djokovic continues his quest for a record 25th Grand Slam title and holds a 100-16 record at Roland Garros.

Alexander Zverev advances as Tallon Griekspoor retires

World No.3 Alexander Zverev moved into the Roland Garros quarter-finals for the seventh time in eight years after Tallon Griekspoor retired in the second set. The German was leading 6-4, 3-0 when the Dutch player stopped the match due to an abdominal injury. Griekspoor had started strong, going up 3-0 in the first set, but struggled to maintain his level.

Alexander Zverev (via X/ATP)
Alexander Zverev (via X/ATP)

The two had faced off twice earlier this year, with both matches being close battles. Griekspoor claimed his biggest career win against Zverev at Indian Wells, while Zverev got revenge in Munich, winning en route to lifting the title. After this latest result, Zverev leads their head-to-head 8-2.

Zverev, who reached the final in Paris last year before losing to Carlos Alcaraz, has shown solid form this year on the clay. Though his results in Madrid, Rome, and Hamburg were underwhelming, he has looked steady in Paris. He earned wins over Learner Tien, Jesper de Jong, and Flavio Cobolli in his earlier rounds.

The German, ranked No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings, now awaits a quarter-final match against either Novak Djokovic or Cameron Norrie. Zverev has a perfect 6-0 record against Norrie, but trails Djokovic 5-8 in their past meetings. He continues to search for his first Grand Slam title.