Alexander Zverev finally shed the unwanted tag of being one of the greatest players never to win a Grand Slam after the German star claimed his maiden major title with a dramatic five-set victory over Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in the French Open final at Roland Garros on Sunday.
The world No. 3 overcame a spirited challenge from Cobolli to win 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 in a gripping contest that lasted more than four hours, securing the first Grand Slam crown of his career after three previous final defeats.
The victory marks a significant milestone for the 28-year-old German, who had suffered heartbreaking losses in the finals of the 2020 US Open, the 2024 French Open and the 2025 Australian Open. This time, however, Zverev made no mistake as he seized a golden opportunity presented by the absence of some of the sport’s biggest stars from the championship match.
The emotional weight of the moment was evident immediately after the final point. When Cobolli missed an overhead on championship point, Zverev collapsed onto the clay court, covering his face with his hands as tears streamed down his cheeks. The German eventually rose to his feet, his shirt stained with Roland Garros clay, before raising his arms in celebration of the achievement he had chased for years.
With the triumph, Zverev joins an exclusive group of players who won their first Grand Slam title in their fourth major final. The list includes tennis legends Andre Agassi, Goran Ivanisevic and Dominic Thiem.
The road to the title opened significantly during the tournament. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner endured a shock second-round collapse after surrendering a commanding two-set lead and a 5-1 advantage against Juan Manuel Cerundolo. Twenty-four-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic was also eliminated early, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz withdrew before the tournament because of a wrist injury.
Having reached the final as the overwhelming favourite, Zverev showed his intent from the outset. He dominated the opening set with near-flawless tennis, breaking Cobolli’s serve early and dictating play with his powerful baseline game.
Cobolli, making the first Grand Slam final of his career, refused to fade away. The Italian, ranked 14th in the world, fought back to claim the second set and pushed the German to the limit throughout the contest. The 23-year-old was attempting to become the first Italian man since Adriano Panatta in 1976 to win the French Open singles title.
Backed by a passionate group of supporters dressed in Italy’s national colours, Cobolli displayed remarkable resilience. He forced a deciding fifth set after overturning a deficit in the fourth-set tiebreak, delighting the Paris crowd with a series of spectacular winners.
However, the physical demands of the marathon encounter eventually took their toll. Zverev took complete control in the fifth set, racing to a double-break lead and refusing to allow his opponent any route back into the contest.
The title is the 25th of Zverev’s professional career and arguably the most important. It also provides redemption after the painful memories of previous Grand Slam disappointments, including his collapse from a two-set lead against Thiem in the 2020 US Open final and his loss to Alcaraz in last year’s Roland Garros championship match.
For Cobolli, despite the defeat, the tournament represents a breakthrough moment. The Italian had never advanced beyond a Grand Slam quarter-final before this year’s French Open and emerged as one of the standout performers of the tournament.
The men’s final concluded a memorable fortnight in Paris, coming a day after Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva claimed the women’s singles title.
Zverev’s long-awaited triumph now places him firmly among tennis’ Grand Slam champions and could mark the beginning of a new chapter in his career as he looks to build on the breakthrough success that finally arrived on the clay courts of Roland Garros.
AP
