Alexander Zverev wins French Open to claim first Grand Slam title

Alexander Zverev has finally captured his maiden Grand Slam title, achieving a career-defining moment with a dramatic five-set victory over Italy's Flavio Cobolli in the French Open final on Sunday. The second seed's triumph makes him the first German man to win a major tournament since Boris Becker at the 1996 Australian Open.

Zverev's 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1 win came after four hours and 16 minutes of intense play on Court Philippe Chatrier, a venue that holds significant emotional weight for the German. He had previously suffered a season-ending ankle injury on the same court in the 2022 semi-finals and lost a five-set thriller to Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 final.

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This court is so special to me in so many ways… but now finally, it’s a happy end.

"This court is so special to me in so many ways… but now finally, it’s a happy end," Zverev said, reflecting on his past struggles at the venue. He acknowledged the team's perseverance through difficult losses, stating, "We’ve been through losses, we’ve been losers at times as well in the most important moments… But at the end of the day, we’re Grand Slam champions now, and that’s what counts."

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We’ve been through losses, we’ve been losers at times as well in the most important moments… But at the end of the day, we’re Grand Slam champions now, and that’s what counts.

Cobolli, the 10th seed, was aiming to become the first Italian man to win the French Open in 50 years. The 24-year-old was playing in his first-ever Grand Slam semifinal and final after his opponent in the last four withdrew due to illness. Despite a strong effort, Cobolli struggled with nerves, particularly in the first set, and ultimately fell short against Zverev's greater experience in the deciding set.

Zverev's path to victory was aided by the early exits of top contenders Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, as well as the injury-enforced absence of defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. Despite making 54 unforced errors, Zverev did enough to shed the label of being one of the best players never to have won a major, finally overcoming the ghosts of past near-misses, including his infamous collapse against Dominic Thiem in the 2020 US Open final.

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I’m happy for you, but I’m also sad because I was close and I feel it. So now you’ve achieved your dream, let me win the next time.