'No chance': Zverev won't swap Olympic gold for a grand slam title
· Yahoo Sports
Alexander Zverev won't exchange his Olympic gold medal from 2021 for a maiden grand slam title.
"No chance," he told reporters after reaching the French Open semi-finals where he will face Czech Jakub Mensik on Friday.
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"For me, the gold medal is the most difficult to win because you only get a chance every four years. It is so special because only a few people have achieved it," he said.
"You do it for your country, you do it for the people at home. That's why I would never exchange my gold medal for anything."
But Zverev added with a smile that "I wouldn't mind adding a few more things to my list."
The Olympic gold five years ago in Tokyo is Zverev's biggest career success along with two titles at the ATP Finals and seven at ATP Masters tournaments.
The 29-year-old German has 24 titles in all but is yet to triumph at the grand slams, losing finals at the 2020 US Open, 2024 French Open and 2025 Australian Open.
Paris could now offer the chance of a lifetime for Zverev because title holder Carlos Alcaraz is absent due to injury while top favourite Jannik Sinner and record grand slam winner Novak Djokovic made early exits.
At number two, Zverev is the highest seed left in the men's draw and has dropped just one set in his five matches at Roland Garros.
He reached the last four with a commanding straight-sets win over Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar on Tuesday and needs two more wins to end the curse at the majors.
"I want to keep going, of course. I want to be in the tournament, and I want to win the matches that I haven’t been (winning). That’s my goal, that’s my aim," he said post-match.
"I feel like today was a very tough test against a very good player and I managed and I won. Of course, I’m happy to be in the semi-finals, but only for now. That’s it.”