Alexander Zverev Wins The French Open, Clinching His First Grand Slam Title

PARIS — Alexander Zverev is nary longer 1 of nan champion players ne'er to triumph a awesome title.

He’s yet a Grand Slam champion.

In his 4th awesome final, Zverev hit Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 for nan French Open title connected Sunday.

It was a unsocial opportunity for Zverev without Jannik Sinner aliases Carlos Alcaraz crossed nan nett and nan third-ranked German took afloat advantage connected nan reddish clay of Roland Garros.

When Cobolli missed an overhead connected nan 2nd title constituent aft much than 4 hours of nan five-set encounter, Zverev dropped connected his backmost to nan clay and covered his look pinch his hands arsenic he began sobbing. When he sewage up, pinch his garment and arms covered successful clay, Zverev put his hands backmost connected his look earlier he lifted some arms successful celebration.

When Zverev was handed nan Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy, he lifted it pinch some hands and fto retired a liberating roar.

“This tribunal is truthful typical to maine successful truthful galore ways. I’ve had nan champion moments of my life connected this court; I had nan worst infinitesimal of my life connected these courts,” Zverev said, referring to erstwhile he was injured and pushed disconnected connected a wheelchair during a semifinal against Rafael Nadal successful 2022.

“I was laying successful that area complete location 4 years agone pinch 7 surgery ligaments and 2 fractured bones,” Zverev said. “I mislaid a Grand Slam last present 2 years agone but now yet it’s a happy end.”

Zverev has now joined an elite group of players that captured their first awesome successful their 4th final: Eight-time awesome champion Andre Agassi, 2001 Wimbledon victor Goran Ivanisevic and 2020 U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem.

No Sinner aliases Alcaraz

Zverev had been an overwhelming favourite for nan title ever since nan top-ranked Sinner struggled successful nan first week’s power activity and wasted a 2 group and 5-1 lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo successful nan 2nd round. A time later, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic was besides eliminated.

Alcaraz, nan two-time reigning champion, withdrew earlier nan tourney pinch an injured correct wrist.

It was Zverev’s 2nd French Open final, having wasted a lead of 2 sets to 1 against Alcaraz successful nan 2024 title match.

Zverev had an moreover bigger advantage — 2 sets to nary — successful nan 2020 U.S. Open last and mislaid that one, too, to Thiem. He was besides beaten successful consecutive sets by Sinner successful nan 2025 Australian Open final.

It was nan 25th title of Zverev’s career.

Cobolli’s first Slam final

The 14th-ranked Cobolli had ne'er been past a Grand Slam quarterfinal until this week. He was attempting to go nan first Italian man to raise nan singles trophy astatine Roland Garros since Adriano Panatta 50 years ago.

Cobolli comes from nan aforesaid tennis nine successful Rome arsenic Panatta did and Panatta was asked by tourney organizers to coming nan trophy to nan champion to observe nan day of his 1976 triumph.

The honors, however, went to Zverev.

Russian teen Mirra Andreeva won nan women’s singles trophy connected Saturday.

Zverev took power early on

The lucifer was played successful cleanable conditions and Zverev’s crippled was almost flawless astatine nan start.

Zverev collapsed Cobolli’s service successful a agelong opening crippled erstwhile Cobolli shanked a forehand into nan first statement of nan stands. The break came aft Zverev had a spot of luck erstwhile a backhand return deed nan nett but dribbled complete connected crippled constituent for Cobolli.

A group of women successful nan stands held up letters to shape Zverev’s nickname: “Sascha.”

Cobolli likes to guidelines measurement complete adjacent nan area of nan tribunal and deed large footwear serves retired wide into nan advertisement court. Zverev knew what was coming and returned 1 specified footwear service early successful nan first group pinch a backhand that he wrapped astir nan extracurricular of nan nett post. Cobolli ended up winning nan point, but it was a connection from Zverev that he knew really to grip his opponent’s tactics.

The adjacent clip Zverev deed a wrap-around-the-net-post return, Cobolli couldn’t grip it and Zverev won nan point.

Cobolli’s supporters successful his container were each dressed successful blue, nan colour of Italy’s nationalist teams, and arsenic Cobolli worked his measurement backmost into nan match, location were chants of “Ole, Ole, Ole; Flavio, Flavio.”

After Zverev held for a 6-5 lead successful nan fourth, he had his precocious correct limb treated by a trainer. Then Zverev wasted a 3-1 lead successful nan tiebreaker, which Cobolli concluded pinch a forehand victor up nan statement that produced a roar from nan crowd.

But Cobolli appeared to tally retired of power successful nan fifth, moving down a driblet changeable only for Zverev to past walk him up nan statement for a 3-0 lead and a double break.

Abuse allegations

Moments aft Zverev’s erstwhile Grand Slam last successful Australia successful 2025, a personification successful nan stadium yelled retired nan names of 2 of his ex-girlfriends who accused him of beingness abuse.

One lawsuit was resolved pursuing an statement betwixt German prosecutors, lawyers for Zverev and his erstwhile partner. The ATP Tour investigated different lawsuit and concluded location was insufficient evidence.

Dampf writes for nan Associated Press. Samuel Petrequin and Jerome Pugmire contributed to this report.