Sports
American tennis player Zachary Svajda reaches a Grand Slam milestone on late father’s birthday
PARIS – Saturday morning at the French Open, Zachary Svajda spent three hours and three minutes serving, sliding and scrambling across the red clay of Roland Garros. The 23-year-old American, ranked No. 85 in the world, put up two sets on his least favorite tennis surface against No. 26 Francisco Cerúndolo, a clay-court specialist who was suddenly blessed with a chance to go deep after Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner both went out early.
Cerúndolo brought in Svajda, but the American, who suffered a cramp halfway through the match, was undeniable. And after a 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3 win that sent him into the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time, he said what had been on his mind, not just for those three hours and three minutes, but all day.
“Today was also so special because it is also my father’s birthday. I know he is watching from above. That just makes it so special,” Svajda said at a press conference.
His father, Tom, who coached tennis in Pacific Beach, San Diego, where Svajda grew up, was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in October 2024. He died a year later at the age of 60, just over a month after his son defeated 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic at the US Open.
After taking a month away from the tour, Svajda’s biggest comeback tournament was the Australian Open, but a recent event meant more to him. In February 2026, he played the tournament in his hometown, the ATP San Diego Challenger. He won the title.
“I remember when I won my semi-final and went through to the final, I said to myself in my head, ‘I wish dad was here,’” Svajda told the ATP Tour. “I thought about that too while holding up the trophy or hitting an ace on match point.”
Svajda, a hard-court boy of Czech descent, said he had never played on red clay until he was 21, and estimated he had played between 10 and 15 matches on the court in his career. The number at full ATP Tour and Grand Slam level is six, three of them in the last week. Before their meeting, Cerúndolo had played 154.
But expectation does funny things. Svajda embraced the fact that there wasn’t one.
“When I saw Sinner was out, I tried to stay present and stay positive and take it one day at a time, one game at a time. I knew the draw was open, but I just tried to keep doing my routines, keep doing what I was doing and just see what happens,” he said.
“We all just talk about the results in the locker room.”
Cerúndolo became lost in a world full of opportunities. During bouts of shouting at his box and tight groundstrokes, Svajda remained steady and halted Cerúndolo’s momentum, breaking at the first time of asking in the fifth set, and again, immediately, when Cerúndolo fought back.
When it was over, staying stable wasn’t an option.
“The emotions were crazy. … That match point, when I fell to the ground, was just so special.
“The atmosphere was great for the whole five sets. Everyone stayed and I got good support from the fans. It was a very special moment, a special match.”
“Like I said, today is my dad’s birthday. I was thinking about that too. I was nervous. I really want to – I know he’s proud of me, and I want to do well and win. When I got that match, the last point, I just cried, I fell to the ground and I was like, ‘Oh my God, what’s going on?'”
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Sources 2/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7319849/2026/05/30/zachary-svajda-french-open-win-father-birthday/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
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