Alexander Zverev is right where he wants to be right now.
After all, with Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic all out of contention, he remains the last outstanding candidate for the Roland Garros title.
Having never won one before, and arguably being recognised as the greatest player to have never claimed a major title, this feels like an opportunity he simply cannot afford to pass up.
However, despite all that is going for him, Caroline Wozniacki has actually argued against the earlier notion.
She thinks that Alexander Zverev has found himself in a position where he actually does not want to be.
Alexander Zverev is apparently in an unwanted position at Roland Garros
Speaking on TNT Sports’ live broadcast, the former world number one was assessing Zverev’s newfound position as the heavy favourite.
Wozniacki began by insisting: “I think the biggest thing for Sascha is he knows the draw is open.
Who is your favourite to win the French Open now that Jannik Sinner has been eliminated?
She continued: “He knows everyone that he’s supposed to be winning this tournament is out. He is the one man standing, and all the pressure is on him.
“Sometimes when you’re that overwhelming favourite, you go out into the match, and you start feeling tentative, you start feeling stressed, and it seems like a huge opportunity that just can’t slip away.
“I think he’s been through enough adversity and, you know, Grand Slam finals, having matched points, not kind of getting through to win a tournament yet, that I feel like, all right, he’s been there. He’s seen the worst possible outcome, and I feel like he’s gotten enough experience that he’s gonna go out there and try and play more freely.
“I think when it comes to those tight moments that he’s gonna undoubtedly get to at some point in this tournament, it’s gonna get tight in one or two sets, or he knows he’s about to maybe win the whole thing. He’s gotta think, you know what? I’ve been here before. I’ve made mistakes. I didn’t win. I need to change something. And I think that’s gonna make the difference this time.”
Wozniacki then explained why she thinks Zverev would have actually preferred Sinner’s presence in the draw, adding: “But I don’t think he’s gonna be comfortable coming out here and being the overwhelming favourite. I don’t think that’s the position that he would want to be in.
“I think he would rather play Sinner and beat Sinner in a final where he was the underdog.”
Can Alexander Zverev deal with the pressure at Roland Garros?
Zverev has spoken about being the favourite at Roland Garros, and continues to play it down despite the increasing noise.
It is becoming hard to ignore, given how the draw has been blown wide open for him.
He remains on the harder half of the draw, but if he can battle through to the final, as expected, the German boasts far more experience than anyone he could possibly face.
Which player do you want to see win their first Grand Slam at Roland Garros?
Alexander Zverev is the favourite…
For context, he remains the only player other than Matteo Berrettini left in the tournament who has even reached a major final, having done it on three occasions.
Zverev has experienced nearly every possible situation in a major final, losing handsomely, narrowly, and blowing a two-set lead. But never before has he been such an overwhelming favourite.
He insists he can deal with the pressure. Only time will tell.
