Alexander Zverev broke down in tears on the French Open\u2019s center court Sunday, overwhelmed with emotion as he finally claimed his first Grand Slam title. The victory marked a triumphant moment on the very clay where he suffered some of his toughest setbacks, including a painful ankle injury against Rafael Nadal in 2022 and a heartbreaking loss after leading in the 2024 final to Carlos Alcaraz.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis court is very special to me,\u201d Zverev said. \u201cIt\u2019s special in a positive way, but also in a negative way, because I had some of the toughest moments of my life here. I was lying on this court with an injury I didn\u2019t know if I would ever come back from. I lost a Grand Slam final here, so all of those memories are still with me, but this one beats them all.\u201d<\/p>\n
In his fourth major final, Zverev defeated Italy\u2019s Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 to win the French Open title. With Jannik Sinner and reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz absent from the tournament\u2014Sinner faltering early and Alcaraz withdrawing due to injury\u2014Zverev seized a rare opportunity on the red clay of Roland Garros.<\/p>\n
When Cobolli netted an overhead on the second championship point after more than four hours of play, Zverev joined an exclusive group of players who won their first major in their fourth Grand Slam final, alongside Andre Agassi, Goran Ivanisevic, and Dominic Thiem.<\/p>\n
Holding the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy at last, Zverev flipped it upside down, placed it between his legs, and raised it above his head with a roaring celebration. \u201cThis trophy means a lot to me because if I had lost, my self-belief would have taken a big hit,\u201d he said. \u201cNow that I\u2019ve won it, I feel like I can do it again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zverev entered the tournament as a strong favorite after top-ranked players faced setbacks. Sinner collapsed from a two-set and 5-1 lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round, and Novak Djokovic was eliminated shortly after. Alcaraz, meanwhile, withdrew before the event due to a wrist injury.<\/p>\n
This French Open victory marks the 25th title of Zverev\u2019s career. His previous Grand Slam final attempts included a loss after leading two sets to none at the 2020 U.S. Open against Thiem and a straight-sets defeat by Sinner at the 2025 Australian Open.<\/p>\n
For Cobolli, ranked 14th, this was his first Grand Slam final. He had never gone beyond the quarterfinals before this week. The Italian was aiming to become the first man from Italy to win the French Open singles title since Adriano Panatta half a century ago. Cobolli even hails from the same tennis club in Rome as Panatta, who presented the trophy at the ceremony to mark the anniversary of his 1976 triumph. But the honors ultimately went to Zverev.<\/p>\n
The match unfolded under perfect conditions, with Zverev jumping out to an early lead as Cobolli appeared nervous. Fans held up signs spelling out Zverev\u2019s nickname \u201cSascha.\u201d On defense, Zverev expertly returned Cobolli\u2019s trademark wide kick serves with tricky backhand shots that wrapped around the net post, signaling his readiness to counter.<\/p>\n
Cobolli\u2019s supporters, dressed in Italy\u2019s blue, rallied with chants of \u201cOle, Ole, Ole; Flavio, Flavio\u201d as he fought back into the contest. Both players received treatment during the match, and Cobolli appeared to run low on energy in the fifth set.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe deserved it more than me at the end of the match,\u201d Cobolli admitted, noting he was hampered by cramps. Zverev said his own cramps were \u201cmore mental,\u201d and surprisingly helped him relax and play more freely.<\/p>\n
Earlier controversies lingered from Zverev\u2019s career. After his 2025 Australian Open final, an individual shouted the names of two ex-girlfriends who had accused him of physical abuse. One case was resolved through legal agreements, while an ATP investigation found insufficient evidence for the other.<\/p>\n
Despite those shadows, Zverev\u2019s breakthrough victory at Roland Garros stands as a milestone, affirming his place among tennis\u2019s elite as he seizes the Grand Slam success he has long pursued.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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