PARIS (AP) — All of it got here rushing back to Alexander Zverev when he was lying on his back on the French Open’s center court, his hands covering his face, and sobbing on Sunday as he realized that he had — finally — change into a Grand Slam champion.
It was the identical court where he twisted his right ankle and crumpled to the bottom, wailing in agony before being pushed off on a wheelchair during a semifinal match against Rafael Nadal in 2022.
The identical court where he wasted a lead of two sets to 1 against Carlos Alcaraz within the 2024 championship match.
“All of the emotions got here out, because this court may be very, very special to me. It’s special in a really positive way, but additionally special on the negative way, because I had among the hardest moments of my life here,” Zverev said.
READ: French Open: Zverev to face Cobolli in final after beating Mensik
“I used to be laying on this court with an injury that I didn’t know if I’d ever come back from. I lost a Grand Slam final here, so all of those memories for me, they’re not worn out. They’re still with me, but this one will beat all of them.”
After so many missed opportunities, Zverev is not any longer probably the greatest players never to win a serious title.
In his fourth major final, Zverev beat Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 for the French Open title.
It was a singular opportunity for Zverev without Jannik Sinner or Alcaraz across the online and the third-ranked German took full advantage on the red clay of Roland Garros.
When Cobolli missed an overhead on the second championship point after greater than 4 hours of the five-set encounter, Zverev joined an elite group of players that captured their first major of their fourth final: Eight-time major champion Andre Agassi, 2001 Wimbledon winner Goran Ivanisevic and 2020 U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem.
Then when Zverev finally got his hands on the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy, he turned it the other way up, held it between his legs after which hoisted it above his head with each arms as he set free a loud roar.
“This trophy for me may be very vital because if I’d have lost this one, this self-belief would have gone down lots,” Zverev said. “But now that I’ve won it, I feel like I can do it again.”
No Sinner or Alcaraz
Zverev had been an amazing favorite for the title ever for the reason that top-ranked Sinner struggled in the primary week’s heat wave and wasted a two set and 5-1 lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo within the second round. A day later, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic was also eliminated.
Alcaraz, the two-time reigning champion, withdrew before the tournament with an injured right wrist.
Zverev also lost a lead of two sets to none within the 2020 U.S. Open final to Thiem and was beaten in straight sets by Sinner within the 2025 Australian Open final.
It was the twenty fifth title of Zverev’s profession.
Cobolli’s 1st Slam final
The 14th-ranked Cobolli had never been past a Grand Slam quarterfinal until this week. He was attempting to change into the primary Italian man to lift the singles trophy at Roland Garros since Adriano Panatta 50 years ago.
Cobolli comes from the identical tennis club in Rome as Panatta did and Panatta was asked by tournament organizers to present the trophy to have fun the anniversary of his 1976 triumph.
The honors, nevertheless, went to Zverev.
Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva won the ladies’s singles trophy on Saturday.
The match was played in perfect conditions and Zverev’s game was almost flawless at the beginning as Cobolli appeared nervous.
A bunch of girls within the stands held up letters to form Zverev’s nickname: “Sascha.”
Cobolli likes to face way over near the corner of the court and hit big kick serves out wide into the ad court. Zverev knew what was coming and returned one such kick serve early in the primary set with a backhand that he wrapped around the surface of the online post. Cobolli ended up winning the purpose, nevertheless it was a message from Zverev that he knew how you can handle his opponent’s tactics.
The subsequent time Zverev hit a wrap-around-the-net-post return, Cobolli couldn’t handle it and Zverev won the purpose.
Cobolli’s supporters in his box were all wearing blue, the colour of Italy’s national teams, and as Cobolli worked his way back into the match, there have been chants of “Ole, Ole, Ole; Flavio, Flavio.”
Each players were treated by a trainer because the match wore on and Cobolli appeared to expire of energy within the fifth.
“He deserved it greater than me at the tip of the match,” Cobolli said, adding that he was slowed by cramps.
Zverev said his cramps “were more mental.
“I actually think that the cramp helped me in a way, that I let go, I type of hit my shots a bit more and just let go,” he added.
Moments after Zverev’s previous Grand Slam final in Australia in 2025, an individual within the stadium yelled out the names of two of his ex-girlfriends who accused him of physical abuse.
One case was resolved following an agreement between German prosecutors, lawyers for Zverev and his former partner. The ATP Tour investigated one other case and concluded there was insufficient evidence.