'I had the best and worst moments of my life on this court' - Zverev triumphs at last
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- Alexander Zverev won his first Grand Slam title at the French Open, overcoming a career-threatening injury sustained on the same court four years prior.
- Zverev triumphed over Flavio Cobolli in a tense five-set final, marking a significant comeback after multiple near-misses in major finals.
- The victory was dedicated to his team, acknowledging their support through injuries and past losses.
Alexander Zverev finally captured his long-awaited Grand Slam title, winning the French Open in a dramatic five-set final against Flavio Cobolli.
This court is so special to me in so many ways. I have had the best moments and the worst moment of my life on this court.
The victory marks a remarkable comeback for the 29-year-old German, who four years ago was carried off the same Court Phillippe-Chatrier in a wheelchair after suffering a severe ankle injury. That incident, which involved torn ligaments and fractured bones, was the worst of his career and required surgery, sidelining him for months.
"This court is so special to me in so many ways," Zverev said after his win. "I have had the best moments and the worst moment of my life on this court." He reflected on the memory of being injured there, contrasting it with the joy of finally achieving his dream.
I was laying on this court with an injury that I didn't know if I will ever come back from. All of those memories, they're not wiped out. They're still with me but this one will beat all of them.
Zverev had earned the reputation of being the best player of his generation never to win a major, having lost previous finals despite strong positions. He recalled his near-misses, including a loss at the U.S. Open in 2020 after leading by two sets and serving for the championship, and a defeat in the 2024 French Open final after leading by two sets to one.
Last year was one of the most difficult moments in my tennis career. This year is one of the happiest moments. It's a very different feeling right now.
"Last year was one of the most difficult moments in my tennis career," Zverev stated. "This year is one of the happiest moments. It's a very different feeling right now." He dedicated the win to his team, acknowledging their resilience through injuries and defeats. "At the end of the day, we are Grand Slam champions now and that is what counts." The path to his victory was also aided by the early exits of top seed Jannik Sinner and the withdrawal of Rafael Nadal due to injury.
At the end of the day, we are Grand Slam champions now and that is what counts.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by BBC News. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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