Alexander Zverev locked horns with Dutch star Jesper De Jong in the fourth round of the French Open on Sunday. The 29-year-old was trailing 2-3 at the time of writing this story. However, all seemed in control. This comes as the men's draw at Roland Garros looks dramatically different heading into the second week. Tournament favorite Jannik Sinner was knocked out in a stunning second-round upset, while Novak Djokovic's bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title ended with a five-set defeat to Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca.Germany's Alexander Zverev eyes the ball as he plays against Netherlands' Jesper de Jong (AFP)Now, Zverev and Casper Ruud are the favorites to win the prestigious trophy.Zverev sends a 3-word messageAs the field continues to thin out, Zverev shared a brief but confident update with fans through Adidas Tennis on Instagram. His three-word message read: “power. precision. presence.”The post featured highlights from his French Open campaign.One match at a time for Zverev, RuudWhile much of the focus has shifted toward the title race, players are attempting to avoid looking too far ahead. Casper Ruud, who reached the fourth round after rallying from two sets down against Tommy Paul, acknowledged the unusual situation facing the tournament."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," he said."Obviously Novak and Jannik was one of the two highest favourites.""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."Ruud's next opponent will be Joao Fonseca, whom he described as a "special talent."Zverev set for Jesper de Jong testBefore any discussion about lifting the trophy can become reality, Zverev must first get past Jesper de Jong in the fourth round. The Dutchman has become one of the tournament's surprise stories. Originally eliminated in qualifying, De Jong entered the main draw as a lucky loser and has since produced a remarkable run to reach the second week.After defeating Karen Khachanov in the third round, De Jong joked about the turning point in his victory."toilet break, that was the key".Now he faces the toughest challenge of his tournament against the highest remaining seed.Sophia Thomalla remains by Zverev's sideAway from the court, Zverev continues to receive support from longtime girlfriend Sophia Thomalla. The German model and television personality has become a familiar face at his matches and has frequently accompanied him during major tournaments.Zverev has previously spoken about the role Thomalla plays in helping him stay grounded during the pressures of professional tennis.“I think for tennis players it is always very important who you have next to you. Sophia is someone who gives me peace and security,” Zverev told a German tennis magazine in December 2021. “I play extremely well with her behind me and I hope that will continue to be the case next year and maybe even better. I haven’t achieved all of my goals yet.”Thomalla has also shown her lighter side when discussing their relationship.“He’s always late in every situation, and I’m losing my mind,” she said with a laugh during Netflix's Break Point. “If we get married, he’ll probably come late to his own wedding.”New champion set to emerge in ParisWith Djokovic, Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz all out of contention, Roland Garros is guaranteed to produce a first-time men's Grand Slam champion.Whether it is Zverev, Ruud, Fonseca or another surprise contender, the opportunity is now there for the taking.