Czech youngster Jakub Mensik likened his match against Alexander Zverev to “hitting a wall” after the German, the number 2 seed, ended his Roland Garros dream by knocking him out in the semi-finals on Friday.
The 20-year-old Mensik, who reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time at Roland Garros, struggled to overcome the relentless defense and consistent bottom line play of the world No. 3 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Zverev's ability to return almost every shot made the Czech, seeded No. 26, struggle to find his rhythm. In Sunday's final, the German will face Flavio Cobolli, who benefited from a “walkover” after his Italian compatriot Matteo Arnaldi withdrew due to a virus.
“Sascha is a very tough opponent on the court. I mean, he doesn't give you any free points. It's very hard to find your rhythm, especially when he sits at the bottom of the court so much and you feel like you're hitting a wall,” Mensik said.
The 20-year-old, who impressed in his run to the semi-finals, admitted it was difficult to get past Zverev's game.
“Even though I had some great games and some opportunities, but with his strong serve and basically his strong baseline game, it was extremely difficult for me to attack him and find the momentum and get him on my side,” added Mensik.
Mensik was playing at Roland Garros in only his second major tournament.
Despite the defeat, the Czech player, who was eliminated in the second round last year, made a positive assessment of his journey at Roland Garros.
“I'm extremely happy that I was able to reach the semi-finals and that I was able to beat a lot of top players,” he said. “I will consider this tournament as a great one.”
Alexander Zverev, 29, who has not won a Grand Slam title, prevailed after almost three hours of play. The German won in four sets, with a score of 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
