Zverev eyes maiden Grand Slam title against Cobolli in French Open final

Alexander Zverev stands on the verge of a maiden Grand Slam title as he faces Italian dark horse Flavio Cobolli in the French Open final on Sunday. This marks Zverev's fourth appearance in a major final, and he hopes this time will bring an overdue breakthrough after years of being overshadowed by tennis's dominant generation.

The path to the final has been shaped by a topsy-turvy Roland Garros draw. With the withdrawals of defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and early exits from Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, second seed Zverev has navigated the field with a composed surge, securing his second Paris final in three years. "The only thing I can control is that I play good tennis," Zverev told reporters after his semi-final victory. "I'll try to show my level. I'll try to do the right things. That's the only thing that matters to me."

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The only thing I can control is that I play good tennis. I mean, I'll try to show my level. I'll try to do the right things. That's the only thing that matters to me.

Roland Garros holds both promise and past heartbreaks for Zverev. His hopes were dashed by a severe ankle injury during his 2022 semi-final against Rafael Nadal and a subsequent defeat to Alcaraz in the 2024 final. Adding to his recent near-misses, Zverev lost to Sinner in the 2025 Australian Open final.

However, Zverev carries a personal edge into this final against his close friend Cobolli, holding a 3-1 head-to-head advantage. "I look forward to playing him in the final. Of course, it's his first final, so I'm happy for him that he reached it," Zverev said. "He's a great player and a great guy. I like him."

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I look forward to playing him in the final. Of course, it's his first final, so I'm happy for him that he reached it. He's a great player and a great guy. I like him. I like his dad a lot. Two very good people, just generally.

Cobolli, the 10th seed, reached the title clash after his fellow Italian Matteo Arnaldi withdrew from their semi-final due to a viral illness. This unexpected walkover might leave Cobolli fresher for the final. "Maybe having almost four days off is a lot, so you lose the rhythm, but I think also during the warm-up I played well," Cobolli commented. "I think I'll be ready for the final, for sure, but I also know that I'll be fresh. Maybe it'll help, maybe not. I'll tell you after the final."

Despite Zverev's favored status, Cobolli is a genuine claycourt threat, having defeated Zverev on his home turf in Munich earlier this season. Zverev, however, quickly avenged that loss in Madrid, reinforcing his position as the title favorite in Paris. Yet, Zverev is no stranger to the pressure of a final, recalling his collapse from two sets up against Dominic Thiem in the 2020 U.S. Open final.

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Maybe having almost four days off is a lot, so you lose the rhythm, but I think also during the warm-up I played well. I think I'll be ready for the final, for sure, but I also know that I'll be fresh. Maybe it'll help, maybe not. I'll tell you after the final.