“Gotta be a favorite for Roland Garros” – After Rome win, fans say Alexander Zverev is the new favorite for the French Open

Despite lack of Grand Slam titles to his name, Zverev seems to be the best pick for Roland Garros this time.

“Gotta be a favorite for Roland Garros” – After Rome win, fans say Alexander Zverev is the new favorite for the French Open

Alexander Zverev in action at the Italian Open (Via Imago)

Alexander Zverev outlasted Nicolas Jarry in the final of the Italian Open in Rome, to win his sixth Masters 1000, and second Italian Open title. It took him four match points to get the win in the bag and that number may just be even more significant as it will be his new ranking, once the rankings are updated. 

Zverev jumped a spot up from 5 to 4, which would give him a better seeding at the French Open, which is just around the corner. Many analysts and audiences think this improvement in ranking, as well as confidence, will play a crucial role at the most important clay court tournament of the year in Paris.

Some took to social media to mention that Zverev may be the new favorite to win the French Open, with other top players like Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz suffering injuries and poor form in recent days.

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Others also commented on the German overcoming physical conditions like diabetes and also a catastrophic ankle injury in 2022, to win his first Masters 1000 title since 2021. They also highlighted his achievements, stating he is the most accomplished player who Grand Slam titles have eluded.

Zverev’s Italian Open win earns him a place in an elite group which only Nadal and Djokovic are a part of

Alexander Zverev won his first-ever major ATP title in Rome back in 2017, when he was just 20. Seven years later, the German triumphed on Italian soil once again, clinching his second title in Rome. 

Novak Djokovic Alexander Zverev and Rafael Nadal
From left: Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Rafael Nadal (Image via Imago)

For 18 years between 2005 and 2022, the Italian Open tournament was largely dominated by only two individuals, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. At this time, either Nadal or Djokovic was present in the final of the tournament every single year. This dominance saw its decline last year when Nadal skipped it due to injury and Djokovic went down to Holger Rune in the quarterfinal. 

Despite this, the two held a unique record, which is that in this century, they were the only players to ever win more than one title in Rome. That was until today, when Alexander Zverev joined this group, a feat even players like Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and Dominic Thiem could not accomplish.

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