Alexander Zverev is in a Grand Slam final once again but this time the world No 3 is very much the favourite against Italian Flavio Cobolli on Sunday.
The 29-year-old, who has lost in all three of his appearances in major finals - including at the 2024 French Open - is looking to go one better on the Roland-Garros clay this time around.
As a player blocked by the golden generation of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and âNovak Djokovic, and more recently by young guns Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, for once the German has been the beneficiary of a few strokes of luck.
After holder Alcaraz's withdrawal and the âearly departures of Sinner and Djokovic reshaped the Roland-Garros draw, second seed Zverev has capitalised âwith a calm surge through the field to earn his second Paris final appearance in three years.
"The only thing I can control is that I play good âtennis," Zverev told reporters after dismantling 26th seed Jakub Mensik in the semi-finals.
"I mean, I'll try to show my level. I'll try to do the right things. That's the only thing that matters to me."
Roland-Garros has long held promise âfor Zverev but it is also where his hopes have frayed, from the brutal ankle injury that â cut short his 2022 semi-final against Nadal to his defeat by â Alcaraz in the 2024 final.
Cobolli - the 10th seed, who is playing in his first Grand Slam final - is a genuine clay court threat, though, having beaten Zverev on his home turf in Munich this season, a result that underlined his ability to disrupt the German's rhythm on the sport's â slowest surface.
"I look forward to playing him in the final. It's his first final so I'm happy for him that he reached it," added Zverev, who holds a â3-1 advantage in their head-to-head record.
"He's a great player and a great guy. I like him. I like his dad a lot. Two very good people, just generally.
"We got closer at the Laver Cup in 2024 in Berlin... he's just a nice person. He has a good heart. He's extremely funny if you get to know him."
The 24-year-old Cobolli booked his place in the decider after â fellow Italian Matteo Arnaldi pulled out of their semi-final due to a viral illness, and the â10th seed will be the fresher player heading into Sunday's match.
"Sometimes it helps. Sometimes it âdoesn't," Cobolli said.
"Maybe having almost four days off is a lot so you lose the rhythm, but also during the warm-up I played well.
"I'll be ready for the final, for sure, but I â also know that I'll be fresh. Maybe it'll help, maybe not. I'll tell you after the final."
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