Alexander Zverev and Tallon Griekspoor will do battle in the French Open fourth round on Monday in their 10th meeting on the ATP Tour.
The players' previous meetings have typically been titanic thrillers, with the German player edging a five-setter 12 months ago to deny the world No. 35 a maiden round-four berth, which the Dutchman finally achieved this year in the French capital.
Match preview
© Iconsport
After getting the better of Flavio Cobolli in straight sets, Zverev might have secretly hoped for an Ethan Quinn victory over Griekspoor, knowing how intense matches against the Dutchman can be.
Although the 28-year-old did not get that wish, he enters another fourth round in Paris striving to avoid his earliest elimination at the tournament in five years, having reached the last eight in four consecutive years.
The last player to beat the 23-time ATP champion at this stage was Jannik Sinner in 2020, an anomaly for the world No. 3, who has reached the last eight in six of his previous seven appearances in the French capital.
Having suffered a dip in results after losing the Australian Open final in January, Zverev's performances and results in Paris have pointed to a return to form, and he aims to improve his 37-9 Roland Garros record to set up a quarter-final contest with Cameron Norrie or Novak Djokovic.
Zverev's finest Grand Slam results have come in the French capital, and the German player, whose 80.4% win rate eclipses results in Australia (76%), Wimbledon (67%) or the US Open (74%), seeks a 38th triumph at Griekspoor's expense.
© Imago
Monday's contest will be far from straightforward against an opponent who has typically pushed the three-time runner-up at the majors to his limits, underscored by the pair's lengthy tussles.
Both men faced off 12 months ago in the tournament's third round when recovering from losing the opening set and being pegged back in the fourth to hold his nerve in the final-set tie-break.
Griekspoor might have feared deja vu on Saturday when he dropped sets one and three against Quinn, leaving the 28-year-old with little margin for error if he was to avoid another third-round exit at a major.
Indeed, the two-time ATP titlist roared back in sets four and five to clinch the match in three hours and 16 minutes, and the consequence of that success means a 0-4 record in the third round at Grand Slams was snapped, taking the Dutchman into his first fourth-round match at one of the leading events on the tour after disappointments in Australia in 2023 and 2024, last year in Paris and at Flushing Meadows at the backend of 2024.
Having broken new ground by advancing to round four, the world No. 35 strives to cause an upset and secure only a third victory over his German opponent for a quarter-final meeting with Norrie or Djokovic.
Tournament so far
Alexander Zverev:
First round: vs. Learner Tien 6-3 6-3 6-4
Second round: vs. Jesper de Jong 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-3
Third round: vs. Flavio Cobolli 6-2 7-6[4] 6-1
Tallon Griekspoor:
First round: vs. Marcos Giron 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-5
Second round: vs. Gabriel Diallo 7-5 7-6[3] 6-3
Third round: vs. Ethan Quinn 4-6 6-1 6-7[2] 6-1 6-4
Head To Head
Munich (2025) - Quarter-final: Zverev 6-7(6) 7-6(3) 6-4
Indian Wells (2025) - Second round: Griekspoor 4-6 7-6(5) 7-6(4)
Paris Masters (2024) - Second round: Zverev 7-6(2) 6-3
Shanghai Masters (2024) - Third round: Zverev 7-6(6) 2-6 7-6(5)
Roland Garros (2024) - Third round: Zverev 3-6 6-4 6-2 4-6 7-6(3)
Indian Wells (2024) - Round of 32: Zverev 7-6(7) 6-3
Canadian Open (2023) - Round of 64: Zverev 6-4 7-6(3)
Rotterdam (2023) - Round of 16: Griekspoor 4-6 6-3 6-4
Wimbledon (2021) - First round: Zverev 6-3 6-4 6-1
Despite Zverev's lopsided 7-2 lead in his head-to-head with Griekspoor, the German player's victories have hardly been straightforward.
The third seed needed five sets in last year's Roland Garros third-round contest, and many of their matches since have gone the distance, albeit in best-of-three encounters.
Having ended an unwanted five-match losing streak in this matchup at Indian Wells, a battle that lasted over three hours, Griekspoor could not notch consecutive victories over the world No. 3 in Munich, falling in three sets after three hours and 14 minutes.
We say: Zverev to win in five sets
Considering the precedent in this matchup, another drawn-out battle is anticipated in Zverev's 10th meeting with Griekspoor on the men's tour.
Having seemingly found some form on the Paris clay after underwhelming results in the lead-up tournaments, the third seed, who has not been eliminated at this stage since 2020, should edge another five-setter against the Dutchman.
