Zverev faces Halys in Paris: 'The night session opens a window for me'
The second seed at Roland Garros, Alexander Zverev, plays on Friday evening against French player Quentin Halys. After Sinner's exit, the German becomes the most important name in the top half of the draw.
- Alexander Zverev plays Frenchman Quentin Halys in the third round of Roland Garros.
- The match is in the night session, on the Philippe-Chatrier centre court from 20:15.
- The German is the second seed, after Sinner's exit he becomes the key name in the top half.
- Halys eliminated one of the younger French hopes in the previous round.
At the exit of the Wilden Garden gym in the Roland Garros complex, Alexander Zverev refused a first conversation with the media on Wednesday at noon. He had just heard that Jannik Sinner had lost the match against Cerundolo, which for him became the moment to shape his strategy for Thursday.
The Paris second seed now enters play with new motivation. His half of the draw is clear, he stays as the only top ten player in the upper segment of the draw.
Friday in the night session
The draw sent Zverev to Friday evening against French player Quentin Halys. The match starts at 20:15 on the Philippe-Chatrier centre court, after the Djokovic vs Fonseca match and two women’s matches end.
Halys in the second round beat one of the younger French players, which carried him into a Grand Slam third round for the first time in his career. The Paris crowd will be entirely on his side.
The night session opens a window for me to show how ready I am. Halys is a player with a good serve who plays for the crowd. We have to stay patient, Zverev said in his official statement to Germany’s Sport1.
The German in the previous round got past Italian Lorenzo Sonego in three sets, giving him a tailwind.
Numbers running with Zverev
Heading into the third round, Zverev has statistics in his favour.
- 12 wins in his last 14 matches on clay in 2026
- semi-final in Madrid last month, eliminated in that round
- 7th Roland Garros semi-final in a row, if he clears the next few rounds
- in two previous direct meetings with Halys, both won in two sets
- night sessions this year on clay: 5 wins, 0 losses
Zverev has come to Paris over the past two years as a final contender. Last year he lost the final to Alcaraz after five sets, his most painful Paris discipline lesson.
What follows after Halys
The winner of the third round plays the winner of Tomas Machac against Alex de Minaur. A realistic fourth-round target is the Australian, who has already shown handy threats on clay through the early season.
A Zverev semi-final in that plan looks like a realistic goal. Sinner’s exit opens up a quarter of the bracket with no top-five names.
His coaching team signalled clearly on Wednesday: Zverev has to use this chance, since the next one may not show up in 2026. The German took a week off after Madrid, which is now the frame for the physical readiness he needs going into the second week of the tournament.
Preparations for Friday are routine, two hours of morning practice, an hour and a half in the afternoon, a light approach into the evening. Halys has heard about the schedule changes and let the media know his plan will not change.
What Paris is saying
The French media have proclaimed Halys “the challenger everyone roots for”. The stand will be packed with fans in green shirts, his club colour.
Zverev in Paris always likes the night sessions for the lighting and the control over his serve. Advertising time between sets is longer, which gives the player more space to prepare the next phase.
Will Zverev use the open road to the semi-final and put himself in line for the final, or will Halys in front of the French crowd turn the match into the first real break in the German’s Paris run?
