Cobolli faces Zverev in Roland Garros final as both chase first Grand Slam title

An unexpected final pairing

A French Open men's final that few predicted will unfold on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Sunday afternoon. Flavio Cobolli, the 25-year-old Italian seeded 10th, will face Germany's Alexander Zverev, the second seed and world number three, with both men chasing their first Grand Slam trophy. The match is scheduled to begin at 15:00 local time, with pre-match coverage starting at 14:30 on Nove in Italy and on Eurosport, Nitro, HBO Max, and DAZN across Europe.

When he told me he wouldn't be able to play, I almost cried.

Cobolli's path to the final

Cobolli reached the final without contesting his semi-final after compatriot Matteo Arnaldi withdrew with a virus. The Italian had previously beaten Pellegrino, Wu, and Tien in straight sets, then overcame Svajda and Auger-Aliassime in four sets. The unexpected rest day gave Cobolli a physical advantage, but he chose to hold an intense practice session on the main court at the scheduled semi-final time to maintain his rhythm. His best friend, footballer Edoardo Bove, travelled to Paris to support him during the final preparations.

Zverev's route and the weight of history

Zverev advanced by defeating Bonzi, Machac, Halys, de Jong, and the young surprises Jodar and Mensik, dropping only one set to the Czech in the semi-finals. The 29-year-old from Hamburg has reached three previous Grand Slam finals (US Open 2020, Roland Garros 2024, Australian Open 2025) and lost all three. At the 2020 US Open he led Dominic Thiem by two sets, and in the 2024 Paris final he was two sets to one up against Carlos Alcaraz before losing. Sunday's match carries the additional burden of breaking that pattern.

Zverev will have all the spotlight on him, with the obligation to win, given the absence of Sinner, Alcaraz, Djokovic and many other big names.

Head-to-head record

Zverev leads their tour-level meetings 3–1. Their first encounter came at Roland Garros in 2025, where Zverev won in straight sets in the third round. This season the record is even at one win each: Cobolli won their Munich semi-final 6-3, 6-3 on clay in April, and Zverev responded with a 6-1, 6-4 victory in the Madrid quarter-finals a few weeks later. Bookmakers price Zverev at 1.25 to win, with Cobolli at 4.00.

What Cobolli brings to the court

Cobolli enters the match with a full physical and mental reserve after the walkover semi-final. Analysts point to his athleticism, leg strength, and a destructive forehand as his primary weapons, along with an effective kick-serve on clay and excellent returning. His match management through a chaotic top half of the draw has drawn praise. Win or lose, Cobolli is guaranteed to break into the world's top 10 on Monday, rising to number five in the rankings.

Broadcast details

The final will be shown free-to-air in Italy on Nove (channel 9 on digital terrestrial, 149 on Sky), with commentary by Jacopo Lo Monaco, Barbara Rossi, and Andreas Seppi. Eurosport holds exclusive Italian rights via Warner Bros. Discovery, with streaming on HBO Max and discovery+, distributed through DAZN, TimVision, and Prime Video. In Germany the match airs on Eurosport and Nitro. The day's programme opens at 11:00 with the women's doubles final between Siniakova/Townsend and Danilina/Krunic.