Pressure on Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud as business end of Roland Garros begins

[p]The week-long heatwave helped wreak havoc in the men's draw. After the elimination of a wilting [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sinner-jannik/6HdC3z4H/"]Jannik Sinner[/a] and a fading [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/djokovic-novak/AZg49Et9/"]Novak Djokovic[/a] in five-setters on consecutive evenings, not a single Grand Slam singles winner is still standing.[/p][p]The throne is vacant ahead of next Sunday's men's final when a new sun-proof king of clay will be crowned.[/p][p]For the two men who have reached finals at majors, three-time losers [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ruud-casper/zN9UpRqp/"]Casper Ruud[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zverev-alexander/dGbUhw9m/"]Alexander Zverev[/a], the trick will be to focus on Sunday's opponent.[/p][embed guid="a933463e-9004-4c8d-b259-ddb774f0b436" url="https://x.com/rolandgarros/status/2060715575911862603" social-type="twitter" /][p]"[b]It's such an open tournament, which is kind of refreshing, I guess, for everyone, and to see that there will be a new Slam champion in about a week or so. I think every player is aware of it[/b]," said Ruud in the early hours of Saturday morning after coming from two sets down as the evening cooled to beat American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/paul-tommy/pd3ye1BS/"]Tommy Paul[/a].[/p][p]"[b]Obviously Novak and Jannik was one of the two highest favourites[/b]," the Norwegian added.[/p][p]"It will be interesting to see where we are in a week's time. I'm going to try to use the experiences that I've had of reaching far in Slams to my advantage and see where that takes me, but you focus one match at a time."[/p][p]Ruud's next match is against Djokovic's teenage conqueror [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fonseca-joao/tv073LUc/"]Joao Fonseca[/a], who the 15th seed called a "special talent".[/p][p]For the 19-year-old Brazilian, this is uncharted territory.[/p][p]"[b]That was my first fourth round in my career[/b]," he said after his win.[/p][p]"I'm just thinking about my next match," he insisted. While too discreet to name himself a challenger, he nonetheless hinted he might be dreaming of bigger things.[/p][p]"[b]Of course, Jannik and Djokovic out, there's more chances for the guys that are more time on tour, like Sascha (Zverev), Casper, or whatever[/b]."[/p][p]Zverev, at No. 2, the highest remaining men's seed, faces [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-jong-jesper/8jStUWzB/"]Jesper de Jong[/a], who has played 21 sets in his Roland Garros campaign, more than anyone else.[/p][p]He is also the only remaining player to have lost a match. The Dutchman was eliminated in the final round of qualifying but inherited a seeded slot in the main draw as a lucky loser when injured French No. 1 [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arthur-fils/IoIhUqIN/"]Arthur Fils[/a] withdrew.[/p][embed guid="3dd4e22d-3aee-4ff3-b5cb-8f4e8c31c851" url="https://x.com/OptaAce/status/2060494146192683039" social-type="twitter" /][p]De Jong had never made it past the second round at a major before, but said the draw had never been kind, pairing him with top players such as German Zverev.[/p][p]After the Dutchman fought back to beat 13th seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/khachanov-karen/4bNPtZT5/"]Karen Khachanov[/a] in the third round, he said his fifth-set "toilet break, that was the key".[/p][p]Now he faces Zverev.[/p][p]"It's better in the fourth round than in the second round," he said.[/p][p]In a tournament where youth has thrived, Fonseca is just one of three 19-year-olds in action.[/p][h2]'Recharging my batteries'[/h2][p]Spanish phenom [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jodar-rafael/OdngshVK/"]Rafael Jodar[/a], like Fonseca, already a top-30 player, faces unseeded 34-year-old compatriot [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/carreno-busta-pablo/W8WmcXdq/"]Pablo Carreno Busta[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/andreeva-mirra/lI6fOOat/"]Mirra Andreeva[/a], the women's eighth seed, takes on Swiss veteran [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/teichmann-jil/nTL4I2Xq/"]Jil Teichmann[/a], who, at 28, is seemingly rejuvenated after a long break, "recharging my batteries".[/p][p]The women's draw has no shortage of players who know what it is to be crowned queen, despite the exit of reigning champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gauff-coco/f5BXmEH6/"]Coco Gauff[/a] on Saturday.[/p][p]One, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/swiatek-iga/jNyZsXZe/"]Iga Swiatek[/a] is in action on Sunday, her 25th birthday. The Polish third seed has won Wimbledon and the US Open once each and Roland Garros four times, the last three in a row until she was deposed by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Aryna Sabalenka[/a] in last year's semi-finals.[/p][p]She faces 15th-seeded Ukrainian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kostyuk-marta/8CZqQdSa/"]Marta Kostyuk[/a].[/p][p]The top Ukrainian, seventh-seeded [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/monfils-elina/jyngIesG/"]Elina Svitolina[/a], will be attempting to match her best Roland Garros performance and reach a sixth quarter-final. She faces a second Swiss veteran, 11th seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bencic-belinda/ObGlDvu0/"]Belinda Bencic[/a] who at 29 is playing in the fourth round at the French Open for the first time.[/p]