Alexander Zverev may be closing in on an elusive maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open, but the German said he would never trade his Olympic gold medal for one and called it the most difficult thing to win.
The second seed has capitalised on a Paris draw missing defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and hit by the early exits of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, to reach the semifinals with a 7-6(3) 6-1 6-3 win over Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar.
While the 29-year-old now stands two wins away from a first major title after three runners-up finishes, Zverev said he had already won something that mattered more to him.
Asked if he would trade the gold medal he won at the Tokyo Olympics five years ago, Zverev said: “No chance. The gold medal for me is the most difficult thing to win, because you get a chance once every four years.
“It’s special in a way that there are so few people who have done it. I think you do it for your country. You do it for the people back home.
“I’ll never trade my gold medal for anything, but I wouldn’t mind to add a few things to my list as well.”
Standing between Zverev and a fourth appearance in a Grand Slam title clash is 26th-seeded Czech young gun Jakub Mensik, who beat Brazilian 28th-seed teenager Joao Fonseca on Tuesday.
“I have to trust my tennis and trust myself. If I play well, then I think that’s 99% of the work. I focus on the next match, and I focus on the opponent as they cross the net, and that’s the only thing I can control.
“If I win those matches, then that’s great.”
- Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world.
The Herald
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.