Alexander Zverev sets up Rafael Jodar quarter final clash after a three-set win over Jesper de Jong on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the 2026 French Open

Alexander Zverev surges into his eighth Roland-Garros quarter-final in the last nine years with a confident straight-sets win over lucky loser Jesper de Jong.

The German pulled clear following a first-set tie-break and served out to 15 on his first match point in two hours and 14 minutes.

The second seed, who was a runner-up here in 2024, will now meet rising Spanish starlet Rafael Jodar in the last eight.

Zverev steps on the gas with a brutal smash to open and then nonchalantly lets de Jong’s pick-up fly through his legs and off the island as the Dutchman tried in vain to pick-up a dropper.

The lucky loser double faults to offer up two more break points and sees another thunderous strike fly by him to surrender serve again.

Sascha’s plus-one off his powerhouse first serves are quite jaw-dropping at times.

Indeed, the second seed reiterates that view when he leans into a thumping backhand down the line to seal another love hold in style.

Zverev cannons a stonking forehand down the line to leave de Jong and his team worrying what may come next.

The good news is that it's a hold to 15 as he lands some fine first serves to finally return to the board.

The Chatrier crowd respond with encouraging applause, but the world number 106 is going to need another gear and a dip from Sascha to nudge the pendulum his way.

Sascha backs up the break with a routine hold to 15 and the barrage of Dutch angrily hurled towards his box suggests de Jong knows there’s not much he can do about it.

Alarm bells blare for de Jong as Zverev conjures triple break point with a fabulous crosscourt backhand winner.

The German hustles hard to retrieve a dropper and jab a deep riposte and he gets his reward as the Dutchman lobs long to cough up the break to love.

Zverev marches through yet another clean hold as he makes his intentions clear right from the off in Set 3.

The pressure mounts as De Jong fires a trio of forehands off the island to cough up two set points.

Sascha only needs one as his dipping return from his far right snares the volleyed error into the net from his opponent.

Zverev has had his Mojo flowing on serve for quite some time now and he applies what he hopes will be plenty of scoreboard pressure with another efficient game to love.

Zverev again tries to crank up the heat and a crosscourt forehand sets the tone early.

De Jong comes up clutch again from Pulp as a smart S+V tactic is followed by a blistering plus-one forehand that secures another hard-fought hold.

The lucky loser doesn’t get any reward for his all-court scurrying as Sascha clocks up another clean hold to stay in charge heading into the business end of Set 2.

Zverev looks to reel De Jong in and a stunning stretch volley after a dominant rally helps him to Pulp from 30-0 down.

The German can’t make any further in-roads, however, as a rocket first serve edges Jesper over the line and level on the board once more.

Zverev glosses over a double fault to keep his nose in front with an unreturnable serve sealing a game to 30.

OPTA STAT: Jodar is the fourth-youngest player in the Open Era to claim a second week win at Roland Garros after having dropped the opening two sets.

De Jong has to play catch up as alarm bells ring but an ace down the T drags him to Pulp.

Zverev turns the screw further with a smash to earn break point after winning a delightful cat and mouse that developed off his sharp re-drop.

The world number 106 wrestles it away and finds a big first serve and a delightful crosscourt volley to thwart the second seed’s advances.

‘He’s starting to play with a little more freedom and fluency now Zverev,’ says Miles Maclagan on TNT Sports comms.

Indeed, the winners are flowing as the German completely overwhelms de Jong with powerhouse strikes off both flanks, finishing off another dominant hold to love with a wrong-footing forehand.

Jesper barks with delight as Zverev blinks first with a forehand long and a hold to 15 gets the lucky loser back on the board and provides a lift after he wilted so badly in that breaker.

Zverev keeps De Jong at bay with a hold to 30 to kick off Set 2 on the front foot.

The second seed reels off seven points in a row to seal the breaker 7-3 and clinch the opener in just over an hour.

TIE-BREAK LATEST: ZVEREV 3-3 DE JONG

Zverev leaves himself with plenty to do as he thuds a forehand into the net and then dances to his right to fizz one wide and trail 3-0.

The German responds and snares both mini breaks back as he tracks down a high-bouncing stun volley and then sizzles a winner on the run down the line.