There is a great first semi-final of the day at Roland-Garros. Alexander Zverev is looking to finally break through and win the first major title of his career. Meanwhile, Jakub Mensik is trying to be the representative of this astounding Roland-Garros youth movement in the men’s final.
Here is my pick, prediction and best bet on DraftKings Sportsbook for Friday’s semi-final match between Alexander Zverev and Jakub Mensik.
Jakub Mensik vs. Alexander Zverev Preview
Alexander Zverev Preview
It is now or never for Alexander Zverev. When Jannik Sinner went down in the second round, Zverev became the immediate favorite here at Roland-Garros. When Novak Djokovic and a handful of other contenders went down with him, it made Zverev the overwhelming favorite to win the French Open. Alexander Zverev has been one of the best players in the world over the past decade. However, Zverev’s career has been defined by not being able to win the big one. He holds the record for most weeks ranked in the top 10 without winning a major in the history of the sport. His longevity at the top of the game has been incredible. He has an Olympic gold medal, plenty of titles and boatloads of money. However, legacy in this sport is measured by major titles. Even this one major title would vault Zverev to a different level in the history of the game.
Jakub Mensik Preview
While Zverev is looking to define his legacy, Jakub Mensik is looking to prove that he is one of the next great players in this game. Rafael Jodar and Joao Fonseca got a lot of attention for being the teenage wunderkinds in this tournament. However, Jakub Mensik is just one year older than those two players and has already accomplished more. The 20-year-old Czech has already won an ATP 1000 title, defeating Novak Djokovic in the final at the 2025 Miami Open. Mensik then started this year by adding his second career ATP title in Auckland. He had a nice run to the fourth round at the Australian Open, but got injured before he had the chance to take on Novak Djokovic there. Mensik bounced back from that injury and had some nice finishes during the hardcourt season. Now, he is in his first-ever major semi-final and is looking to spoil Zverev’s party.
Jakub Mensik vs. Alexander Zverev Best Bet
My best bet is for Jakub Mensik to cover the spread of +1.5 sets. Mensik is a relentless fighter. Earlier in this tournament, he collapsed and needed medical attention after defeating Mariano Navone in a five-set thriller. Many thought Mensik was an easy fade in the following round against World No. 7 Alex de Minaur. However, Mensik pulled out that win, then followed that with another five-set thriller against World No. 13 Andrey Rublev. Mensik then had a showdown with the phenom Joao Fonseca in the quarter-finals. Mensik proved that he is, in fact, the young prospect to watch and defeated Fonseca handily in straight sets.
Jakub Mensik is fully deserving of this opportunity to reach a major semi-final. He has faced the toughest path of any of the four men’s semi-finalists this year. Mensik proved he was fearless when he beat the greatest player of all time in a Masters 1000 final at just 19 years old. He certainly won’t be afraid of Alexander Zverev, who has all of the pressure on his shoulders to finally get it done this weekend. Zverev might outlast Mensik in a five-setter, but my best bet is on Mensik to at least push him to that fifth set and possibly pull off the upset.
