2024 French Open runner-up Alexander Zverev will continue his quest for a repeat appearance in the final when he faces Flavio Cobolli on Saturday. Tallon Griekspoor and Ethan Quinn are also in third-round action.
(3) Alexander Zverev vs. Flavio Cobolli
Zverev is a heavy favorite, but the German’s first meeting with Cobolli on Saturday could be one of the marquee matchups in the French Open third round. To say that Cobolli’s 2025 campaign has been a roller-coaster ride would be a gross understatement. The 26th-ranked Italian went on a seven-match losing streak earlier in the season but has won two clay-court titles this spring (Bucharest and Hamburg). Cobolli has extended his current winning streak to seven matches with Roland Garros victories over Marin Cilic (6-2, 6-1, 6-3) and Matteo Arnaldi (6-3, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-1).
Zverev’s season has gone in an opposite trajectory. The third-ranked German started hot with a runner-up performance at the Australian but has since slumped. He at least managed to lift an ATP 500 trophy in Munich and has looked decent so far in Paris by beating Learner Tien (6-3, 6-3, 6-4) and Jesper de Jong (3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3). Both guys could be due for their first five-setter of the fortnight, which in general would be nothing new. Zverev went the distance three times at the 2024 French Open, where Cobolli pushed Holger Rune to a fifth-set tiebreaker in the second round. An upset is possible, but the No. 3 seed has a history of success in long Grand Slam matches–at least prior to the final.
Pick: Zverev in 5
Tallon Griekspoor vs. (Q) Ethan Quinn
It has been a outstanding French Open on the men’s side for former college players. Jake Fearnley (TCU) and Cameron Norrie (TCU) are going head-to-head on Saturday, Ben Shelton (Florida) is in the fourth round, and Quinn (Georgia) is in the midst of his breakthrough tournament. The 21-year-old American qualified for the main draw and has since advanced past Grigor Dimitrov (via fourth-set retirement) and Alexander Shevchenko (in five sets). Quinn will break into the top 100 for the first time in his career regardless of Saturday’s result.
Facing Griekspoor in the third round is about as good of a draw a qualifier could ask for, but that’s not to say it will be easy. The 35th-ranked Dutchman is a tough out on any surface and he is also playing the best tennis of his life right now. Griekspoor has won 20 matches this year, including four-setters over Marcos Giron and Gabriel Diallo earlier in this tournament. The 28-year-old should have the upper hand on Saturday. He is much more experienced on clay and at Grand Slams, plus Quinn is coming off a four-hour and 14-minute second-round match.
Pick: Griekspoor in 4
