"It's 50-50," says Becker about the Djokovic-Zverev semifinal at Roland Garros

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Adrien Guyot

le 04/06/2025 à 11h24

2 min to read

Becker Djokovic Roland Garros Zverev

This Wednesday evening, in the night session, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev will battle for the last ticket to the Roland Garros semifinals in a matchup that tennis observers had circled since the main draw was announced in late May.

Thus, the two players, who already faced each other in the Australian Open semifinals last January (Zverev benefited from Djokovic's withdrawal), will meet again in the second consecutive Grand Slam.

On one side, Djokovic hopes to win his 25th Grand Slam title, while on the other, Zverev aims to defend the points from last year's final in the French capital, promising an explosive showdown.

Former coach of the ex-world No. 1 and also of the same nationality as Zverev, Boris Becker previewed the match between the two top-10 players, who will face off for the 14th time (currently 8-5 in favor of the Serbian).

"Novak Djokovic plays tennis only because he still wants to win Grand Slam tournaments. The magic number of 25 is in the air, of course, and that's why he’s probably the most dangerous in Grand Slams.

Sascha Zverev might be the physically strongest player still in the competition. He loves long matches, he loves challenges. But big matches are won in the head, not in the legs.

I have to admit that Roland Garros is a very physical tournament where you have to push your limits for three or four hours. Zverev has an advantage over Djokovic in that regard. But we'll see what makes the difference in the end.

Djokovic is from the same generation as Federer and Nadal, where the psychological battle was sometimes decisive in a match. Younger players like Sinner, Alcaraz, and Zverev are a bit more relaxed.

But Novak will do everything he can and mobilize all his resources to win this match. In terms of physical condition, I’d clearly lean toward Sascha Zverev. He’s the younger and fitter player.

Of course, you also need mental strength in the fifth set, but fresh legs are crucial. He enjoys playing against Djokovic and has beaten him multiple times, most recently at the Australian Open, even if Novak was injured.

Compared to Djokovic’s head-to-head records against almost any other player, Sascha is in a good position. He doesn’t mind playing against the legend, but reality is on the court and nowhere else.

For now, it’s 50-50. On paper, Sascha (Zverev) might be a slight favorite, but I have no doubt Djokovic will have his say in this match," Becker elaborated for TNT Sports.