Alexander Zverev enters the upcoming French Open full of confidence in the wake of his Italian Open title as he makes another attempt to claim a first career grand slam title.
The Roland Garros draw is on Thursday, and having climbed to fourth in the latest rankings issued on Monday, Zverev will avoid meeting top contenders Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner before the semi-finals.
Zverev won Olympic gold in 2021, which he would like to repeat later in summer, also at the Paris venue, has six titles from the prestigious Masters Series, two from the ATP Finals, and 22 overall but a grand slam crown is still eluding him.
The German has reached the semi-final stage at all grand slams, and the final of the 2021 US Open.
Now he returns to Paris where he suffered a severe ankle injury in 2022 in the semi against Rafael Nadal.
Zverev at level where he wants to be
Sunday's second career Rome Masters triumph in straight sets over Nicolas Jarry was his first title of the year, the biggest since the injury, and came at the right time ahead of Sunday's Roland Garros start.
"Moving forward, I can dream again," the ATP website quoted Zverev as saying.
"It proves to me that I can win these kinds of tournaments again. I'm at the level where I want to be. This is what this week brings me.
"I've been playing well all week, from the first point of the first round until now. Obviously I’m extremely happy with how things went."
Rivals having problems
Zverev may never have a better chance to win a grand slam because all rivals are having problems.
Djokovic is yet to lift a trophy this year and was accidently hit by a water bottle in Rome, Australian Open champion Sinner has not played since late April owing to hip problems, Alcaraz has only resumed training from an elbow injury, and a 15th title for injury-hit Nadal would be a miracle.
Zverev has beaten them all during his career and said it will only depend on himself whether he can finally taste grand slam success on June 9.
“I've said it many times before, and I'm going to say it again: I'm somebody that I know when I don't play well, I can lose to anyone, but when I play well, I know I can beat anyone," he said.
“I know I have to focus on myself, to find my rhythm in Paris the way I did here. Then everything is on my own racquet.”
