Zverev shrugs off expectations at French Open

It's been 80 years since a German man won Roland Garros but despite his stunning demolition of Novak Djokovic in Rome, Alexander Zverev insists he is not the French Open champion in waiting.

The 20-year-old Zverev heads for Paris viewed as the man most likely to profit should nine-time champion Rafael Nadal, world number one Andy Murray and 2016 winner Djokovic falter.

"You know, when I was about 11, 12, I thought by the age of 20 I'd probably win about four Slams already," joked the beanpole German keen to keep a lid on growing expectations that the sport's much-touted 'Next Gen' is about to gatecrash the Grand Slam closed shop.

There's little doubt that 20year-old Zverev is the real deal. He boasts an address amongst the high-rollers of Monte Carlo, while flitting between Hamburg and Florida.

Three titles have already come his way in 2017 -- indoors at Montpellier and crucially, in terms of Roland Garros, on clay at Munich and in Rome on Sunday. There he stunned Djokovic in straight sets, becoming the youngest champion in the Italian capital since a 19-year-old Nadal in 2006.

He was also the youngest Masters winner since Djokovic, at 19, captured Miami a decade ago. Furthermore, he was the first player born in the 1990s to win a Masters crown and only the fourth German after Boris Becker, Michael Stich and Tommy Haas.