Alexander Zverev has taken a confident first step in his quest for a maiden Grand Slam trophy at the 2026 French Open. The German second seed powered past France’s Benjamin Bonzi 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in just two hours and eight minutes on Sunday (May 24), booking his place in the second round of the clay-court major without dropping a set.
Alexander Zverev on his win
“Very good start to the tournament. It’s always nice to start with a straight-sets win, especially against Benjamin, who can cause a lot of problems for top players,” Alexander Zverev said in his on-court interview. “All around, I think it's a good performance that I can build on. I have to build on it, but I am very happy with the start.”
Alexander Zverev’s Roland Garros pedigree shines again
The 29-year-old has made the Parisian clay his happy hunting ground in recent years. He reached the final in 2024, collected three semi-finals and a quarter-final across his last five appearances, and has not exited before the fourth round since 2017.
His form this clay season has been equally impressive, runner-up in Madrid, semi-finalist in Monte-Carlo and Munich, plus deep runs at the Indian Wells and Miami Masters on hard courts. That consistency showed against Bonzi, a dangerous home favourite who had taken a set off world No.1 Jannik Sinner in Madrid.
Next matchup and early day results
Alexander Zverev will now face Czech Tomas Machac in the second round. Machac advanced with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 win over Zizou Bergs. The pair last met here two years ago during the Paris Olympics, with Zverev coming through.
Elsewhere on a busy opening day, 21st seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina battled back from two sets to one down to defeat Damir Dzumhur 6-7(3), 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 in four hours and five minutes. The Spaniard next meets Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante, who beat Spanish qualifier Pablo Llamas Ruiz 6-3, 7-6(6), 6-7(5), 6-0.
Thirteenth seed Karen Khachanov needed just two hours to dismiss French wild card Arthur Gea 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-0 and will play Argentina’s Marco Trungelliti, who cruised past Kyrian Jacquet 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
With the second round underway, all eyes remain on Zverev as he chases the one prize still missing from his glittering career. The two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion has the game, the experience, and now the early momentum on the red dirt of Roland Garros.
