World No 3 Zverev knocked out teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz and will now seek a first Major win over a member of the ‘Big Four’.
“Next I have the 13-time champion so it’s not really getting easier from here,” he said.
The Olympic champion will reach world No 1 for the first time if he wins the title on Sunday. Otherwise Daniil Medvedev will replace Djokovic in the top spot. And with the points from last year’s French Open dropping off on June 13, the German and the Russian are then guaranteed to occupy the top two places. It will be the first time since November 2003 that at least one member of the Big Four will not be in the top two.
Danish teenager Holger Rune accused Casper Ruud of shouting “Ja!” in his face after the Norwegian won through to face Marin Cilic in the other semi-final today. Rune said: “That’s just a lack of class. He should have had more respect.” But Ruud’s father and coach Christian responded: “It is simply a lie from Holger.”