{"id":200487,"date":"2026-06-05T06:11:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T06:11:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tahrir2day.com\/news\/2026\/06\/05\/who-will-cope-with-pressure-in-paris-mens-semi-finals\/"},"modified":"2026-06-05T06:11:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T06:11:26","slug":"who-will-cope-with-pressure-in-paris-mens-semi-finals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tahrir2day.com\/news\/2026\/06\/05\/who-will-cope-with-pressure-in-paris-mens-semi-finals\/","title":{"rendered":"Who will cope with pressure in Paris men’s semi-finals?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

“Pressure is a privilege, and champions adjust,” the iconic Billie Jean King once said.<\/b><\/p>\n

That phrase has become a mantra for the following generations of players – and it will be particularly pertinent on Friday at the French Open.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

With such a sense of opportunity, which one of the final four will cope best with the tension that comes with it?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Heavy 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Will Zverev keep his composure? He claims he “doesn’t care” he is considered the favourite.<\/p>\n

“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 said.<\/p>\n

“If I win those matches, then that’s great.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Czech 26th seed Mensik has long been earmarked as a talent who can provide a credible challenge to the duopoly of Sinner and Alcaraz.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Equally impressive was the composure he showed to eventually see out victory on his seventh match point.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

But how he will cope on the grandest stage of all?<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

“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,” said Chang, who now coaches 20-year-old American Learner Tien.<\/p>\n

“There are expectations – there’s no question about it. That doesn’t necessarily give them the freedom to go out there and play.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

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.<\/p>\n

Plenty would have plumped for 10th seed Flavio Cobolli as the second option – but few would have gone for 104th-ranked Matteo Arnaldi.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Cobolli possesses more experience of the biggest stage, having reached last year’s Wimbledon quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

Does his greater pedigree bring more or less pressure?<\/p>\n

“Depends how you live this kind of thing. I never put pressure on myself,” said Cobolli, who was a promising footballer in Roma’s academy before focusing on tennis.<\/p>\n

“I like to live the moment like if I was a kid, just with big passion and a big smile.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Arnaldi finds himself in unchartered territory, having only twice made the second week of a Slam in 12 previous main-draw appearances.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

“I have some energy left for the next matches.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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