Zverev wins first Grand Slam title at French Open, defeating Cobolli in five-set final
Alexander Zverev defeated Italy's Flavio Cobolli in a five-set final at Roland Garros to win his first Grand Slam title, becoming the first German man to triumph at a major since Boris Becker 30 years ago.
A long-awaited breakthrough
Alexander Zverev has won his first Grand Slam title at the French Open, defeating Italy's Flavio Cobolli 6:1, 4:6, 6:4, 6:7 (5:7), 6:1 in a final lasting over four hours. The victory came in Zverev's 41st Grand Slam appearance and his fourth major final, after previous losses at the 2020 US Open, the 2024 French Open, and the 2025 Australian Open.
Er hat das mehr als verdient. Das ist unglaublich, ich bin sehr stolz auf ihn.
The 29-year-old from Hamburg is the first German man to win a Grand Slam singles title since Boris Becker at the 1996 Australian Open. He is also the first male German player to win at Roland Garros since the start of the professional era in 1968.
The final's shifting momentum
Zverev dominated the opening set, breaking Cobolli's serve three times. Cobolli, ranked 14th in the world and playing in his first Grand Slam final, struggled early with unforced errors and visible frustration directed at his box. The crowd rallied behind the Italian underdog, and he responded by taking the second set 6:4.
Nicht zu glauben, wie Cobolli jetzt aufdreht.
Zverev steadied himself to claim the third set, but physical problems emerged in the fourth. He received massage treatment on his thighs during a changeover and his movement and first serve deteriorated. Cobolli forced a tiebreak and won it 7:5 to level the match. In the decisive fifth set, Zverev conserved energy and capitalised on Cobolli's errors, breaking twice to seal the championship.
A path cleared by absent rivals
Zverev's opportunity was widened by the early exits of top contenders. Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic were eliminated earlier in the tournament, and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz was absent through injury. Cobolli himself reached the final after a walkover in the semi-finals when his compatriot Matteo Arnaldi withdrew due to illness.
Zverev dropped only three sets across the entire tournament. The win removes the label of the best player never to have won a major, a burden he had carried through three previous final defeats.
Personal redemption in Paris
Paris holds particular significance for Zverev. At the 2022 French Open semi-final against Rafael Nadal on the same Court Philippe Chatrier, he suffered a severe ankle injury and left the court in a wheelchair. Four years later, he celebrated as champion on the same clay.
His girlfriend, television personality Sophia Thomalla, was not present at the final, adhering to her principle of never attending during a Grand Slam. Reports indicated she planned to fly to Paris immediately after the victory for celebrations before returning with Zverev to Cologne. In the stands, Zverev was supported by his father Alexander, his brother Mischa, his close friend Marcelo Melo, and his grandmother Natalia.
- Loses US Open final to Dominic Thiem after leading two sets to love.
- Suffers severe ankle injury in French Open semi-final against Rafael Nadal, leaves court in wheelchair.
- Loses French Open final to Carlos Alcaraz.
- Loses Australian Open final to Jannik Sinner.
- Defeats Flavio Cobolli in five sets to win French Open, his first Grand Slam title.
A German tennis milestone
Zverev's triumph ends a three-decade wait for a German male Grand Slam champion. The Olympic gold medallist from 2021 had long been considered the successor to Becker's legacy, and the documentary title "Der Unvollendete" (The Unfinished) no longer applies. The inscription on the Philippe Chatrier stands proved fitting: "victory belongs to the most tenacious."
