Zverev wins French Open: First Grand Slam title in Paris

It took Zverev 41 attempts to win one of the world's four most important tournaments. In his fourth major final, the 29-year-old emerged victorious for the first time. Zverev has long belonged to the absolute world elite in tennis, but had been unable to win a title at one of the four biggest events. It was often written that Alexander Zverev was the best player who had never won a Grand Slam. On his 41st attempt, he finally did it.

He had previously reached the final three times and lost each one. In 2020, he fell to Dominic Thiem in New York despite leading 2-0 in sets. Last year, he surrendered a 2-1 set lead in Paris against Carlos Alcaraz. At the 2025 Australian Open, he was defeated in three sets by Jannik Sinner. Against the new tennis power duo, Zverev had lost his two most recent Grand Slam finals (2025 Australian Open and 2024 French Open).

This time, however, Zverev kept his nerve. He raced into a 6-1 lead, but Cobolli fought back. Cobolli deservedly won the second set, and the third went just as logically to Zverev. After a total of four breaks, the set went to a tiebreak, but the Italian battled back and created two set points of his own. Zverev had to surrender the set in the tiebreak, but in the fifth he dictated play and wrapped it up convincingly at 6-1.

An unexpected finalist

Cobolli had never previously gone beyond a Grand Slam quarterfinal before this tournament. The 24-year-old, who hails from the same tennis club in Rome as Adriano Panatta, benefited in the semifinal from the illness-related withdrawal of Matteo Arnaldi. On Monday, Cobolli will rise into the Top Ten of the world rankings for the first time. Tournament organizers had asked Panatta, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his 1976 triumph, to present the Coupe des Mousquetaires.

Zverev had gone into the final as the favourite after his strongest rivals were forced to withdraw through injury or fell early in the tournament. World number one Jannik Sinner surprisingly exited early after a battle in the heat, and Novak Djokovic was out shortly afterwards. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz did not even start due to injury. Zverev himself won his matches mostly convincingly and lost only three sets in the entire tournament.

Reactions: Becker and Zverev

In the final, however, Cobolli was a strong opponent once the initial nerves had settled. Boris Becker was commentating for Eurosport. "Nicht zu glauben, wie Cobolli jetzt aufdreht," the three-time Wimbledon winner said on Eurosport. "Seit der Niederlage von Jannik Sinner redet jeder davon, dass Alexander Zverev nun der Favorit ist," Becker continued, seeing the pressure on Zverev as having lifted. "Er hat das mehr als verdient. Das ist unglaublich, ich bin sehr stolz auf ihn."

Immediately after match point, Zverev found clear words. "Jetzt ist es endlich ein Happy End," he said in his winner's speech. Addressing his team, he added: "Wir waren eine Zeit lang auch Verlierer in den entscheidenden Momenten, aber am Ende des Tages sind wir jetzt Grand-Slam-Champions - und das ist das, was zählt." Of the defeated Cobolli, he said appreciatively: "Er ist super talentiert, super jung, er verbessert sich immer wieder. Für mich ist er einfach ein netter Mensch. Er hat ein gutes Herz."

The triumph in Paris holds special significance for Zverev. It was here, in peak form in the 2022 semifinal, that he suffered a serious foot injury against Spain's Rafael Nadal and was driven off court in a wheelchair as a tragic loser. Zverev injured his foot badly in that match and had to be wheeled off court. In this year's final, Zverev also struggled with his body at times: from the late fourth set onwards, he received treatment on his thigh during changeovers, after previously holding serve at 6-5. He would not be stopped, however.

Historical context

The success at Roland Garros is the 25th title of Zverev's career and by far the most important. The four Grand Slam tournaments are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. Zverev joins a small group of players who captured their first major title on their fourth attempt: Andre Agassi, Goran Ivanisevic, who won Wimbledon in 2001, and Dominic Thiem, who won the 2020 US Open. Agassi ended up with eight major titles. Zverev is the fifth German player, after Michael Stich, Steffi Graf, Boris Becker and Angelique Kerber, to win a Grand Slam singles title. In the women's event, compatriot Angelique Kerber won at Wimbledon in 2018.

The final on a packed Court Philippe Chatrier was a five-set thriller. The support for Zverev in the stands was clearly felt: a group of women held up letters spelling his nickname "Sascha." A banner in the crowd read "victory belongs to the most tenacious." Cobolli was supported by his followers with chants of "Ole, Ole, Ole; Flavio, Flavio"; fans in his box wore blue, the colour of Italy's national teams. Cobolli himself initially seemed to feel the pressure of his first Grand Slam final when Zverev broke his serve in the very first game, after the Italian had hammered a forehand into the front row of spectators.

Outlook and upcoming events

Zverev is the first Grand Slam champion since the 2023 US Open whose name is neither Jannik Sinner nor Carlos Alcaraz. Sinner and Alcaraz had previously divided the last nine major titles between them. In the semifinal, Zverev had beaten Czech Jakub Mensik in four sets. He then prepared meticulously for the final, even though he had lost only six matches since the end of February — all without exception against Italian players: four against Sinner, one against Cobolli and one against Luciano Darderi.

Prize money in the men's singles at this year's French Open totalled €61,723,000. Zverev has already confirmed his participation in the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, which takes place from 24 October to 1 November. Cobolli and Mensik have also entered. Cobolli will also compete at the Generali Open in Kitzbühel in mid-July.

The women's tournament at Roland Garros had already been decided on Saturday. The women's event was won by 19-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva. In the final, she defeated Poland's Maja Chwalinska comfortably in straight sets. Andreeva is one of the youngest Grand Slam champions in history, rounding off a turbulent tournament in Paris.

A happy ending for the unfinished one

With the title in Paris, Zverev has also lifted a personal burden. In a documentary titled "Der Unvollendete" ("The Unfinished One"), the tennis world had perceived him as the player denied the ultimate breakthrough. After his loss to Sinner in Melbourne, he had declared: "Ich will nicht als der beste Spieler enden, der nie einen Grand Slam gewonnen hat." Asked about that label, he said dryly: "Ich wäre lieber der schlechteste Spieler, der schon ein Grand Slam gewinnen konnte." That statement has now lost its bitter aftertaste.

The tennis world, meanwhile, will not stand still. In just a few weeks, the grass court season begins, culminating at Wimbledon. Zverev has announced that he will take a short break after the emotional high in Paris before looking ahead. Cobolli can enjoy his leap into the Top Ten, even if the disappointment over the missed chance likely outweighs it. Becker, who emotionally commentated on his successor's triumph, spoke for many German tennis fans when he said: "Das ist unglaublich, ich bin sehr stolz auf ihn."