French Open: Alexander Zverev clinches maiden Grand Slam title
Paris, June 8
Germany's Alexander Zverev achieved a career milestone on Sunday, claiming his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros after defeating Italian Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 in an enthralling five-set final on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
In a four-hour, 20-minute contest, Zverev displayed composure and resilience, recovering from a dramatic fourth-set tie-break loss to dominate the decider. Overcome with emotion, the 29-year-old collapsed onto the clay after converting match point before sharing a sportsmanlike embrace with Cobolli, according to the ATP website.
Zverev's triumph marks a crowning achievement in a career already decorated with two Nitto ATP Finals titles, seven ATP Masters 1000 crowns, and an Olympic singles gold medal. Having endured heartbreak in his previous three Grand Slam finals--including losses to Dominic Thiem at the 2020 US Open, Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 Roland Garros, and Jannik Sinner at the 2025 Australian Open--Zverev finally broke through to lift a major trophy.
The second seed in Paris, Zverev, benefited from a dramatic tournament draw. Top seed Sinner exited early, while Alcaraz withdrew due to injury. Zverev dropped just two sets on his path to the final, overcoming Cobolli's aggressive play and late-match nerves in a tense showdown. In the decisive fifth set, he made 83 per cent of his first-serve points and saved all four break points to seal victory.
With this win, Zverev becomes the first German man to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires since Henner Henkel in 1937 and only the third in the Open Era, following Boris Becker and Michael Stich. He is also the third player born in the 1990s to win a major, joining Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev.
For Cobolli, who was contesting his first Grand Slam final, the defeat comes after an impressive run in Paris, including wins over seeded players Felix Auger-Aliassime and Learner Tien. The 24-year-old Italian rises four spots to World No. 10 in the ATP rankings, set to reach a career-high on Monday.
Zverev and Cobolli's rivalry now stands at 3-1 in favour of the German, with their recent clay encounters split between victories in Munich, Madrid, and Roland Garros. Sunday's final showcased a blend of power, precision, and endurance, cementing Zverev's status among tennis' elite.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As a tennis fan from Bangalore, it's incredible to see a player like Zverev finally break through. But let's not forget Cobolli - what a run from an unseeded player! Beating FAA and Tien en route to a first final, now career-high ranking. The Next Gen is here, and India needs to take notes on how Italy develops clay-court talent. 🇮🇹
Happy for Zverev, but honestly, this feels like a hollow Grand Slam. Sinner and Alcaraz both out early due to injury/withdrawal... the draw opened up massively. He's a great player, but let's see if he can defend it next year against a full field. 🤔
Been following German tennis ever since Becker and Stich. Zverev joining that elite list is no small feat - first German man to win here since 1937! And he's got an Olympic gold too. Proper all-surface champion now. Respect from Pune! 👏
The match had everything - drama, tie-breaks, comebacks. But I felt for Cobolli in the decider. He ran out of steam after that 4th set win. Zverev's mental strength to not let that loss affect him in the 5th set shows why he's a champion. 4 hours 20 mins of pure grit!
For a country of 1.4 billion, it's sad that Indian tennis can't produce even one player who can consistently compete at this level. Meanwhile, a nation like Italy (60 million) keeps producing quality clay-courters.
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