They say third time’s a charm. For Alexander Zverev, it took a fourth attempt.
On Sunday, Roland Garros witnessed a third consecutive men’s final decided in five sets as the World No. 3 finally ended his Grand Slam drought, capturing the French Open title with a hard-fought 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 victory over Italy’s Flavio Cobolli. It was far from straightforward, with Zverev battling for four hours and 16 minutes to secure the biggest triumph of his career.
Cobolli, playing in his maiden Grand Slam final, showed remarkable composure and resilience. After a difficult start, the Italian fought back superbly, pushing Zverev to the limit and forcing a deciding set. However, when it mattered most, the German’s experience proved decisive. As the match wore on, Cobolli began to fade physically, and Zverev took full advantage to seize control of the fifth set.
When Cobolli’s forehand sailed long on championship point, Zverev collapsed onto the clay in tears of joy, finally ending years of heartbreak on tennis’ biggest stages.
The German had previously fallen short in three Grand Slam finals. He lost to Dominic Thiem in the 2020 US Open final after holding a two-set lead. Four years later, Carlos Alcaraz edged him out in a five-set Roland Garros final, before Jannik Sinner defeated him in straight sets in the 2025 Australian Open final. Those setbacks raised doubts about whether Zverev would ever claim a major title.
In Paris, he finally answered them. Eleven years after making his Grand Slam main-draw debut, the 29-year-old lifted his first major trophy and removed the biggest question mark hanging over his career.
With Alcaraz sidelined by injury and both Sinner and Novak Djokovic exiting earlier than expected, Zverev arrived in Paris as one of the favourites. He lived up to that billing, overcoming a spirited challenge from Cobolli to finally etch his name into Grand Slam history.
COBOLLI CLAWS BACK AFTER ZVEREV DOMINATES
Zverev made a blistering start to the final, racing through the opening set 6-1 in just 26 minutes. The German broke early after forcing Flavio Cobolli into a forehand error and quickly established control with his powerful serving and precise baseline play.
Cobolli struggled to find answers as Zverev dominated the rallies, added two more breaks of serve, and produced a near-flawless display to take a commanding lead.
However, the Italian responded brilliantly in the second set. Showing far greater composure and cutting down on unforced errors, Cobolli began to compete much more effectively from the baseline.
While Zverev continued to serve strongly, the momentum gradually shifted as Cobolli found his rhythm and applied sustained pressure. After missing an earlier break chance, he remained patient and eventually secured a crucial break to move 4-3 ahead.
With the pressure mounting, Cobolli held his nerve superbly, firing an ace and winning key points to serve out the set and level the final at one set apiece.
ZVEREV TAKES BACK THE ADVANTAGE
Zverev showed all his experience and composure to edge a hard-fought third set against Cobolli and move within one set of the Roland-Garros title. After surrendering the second set, the German found himself locked in a tense battle as Cobolli continued to play with confidence and intensity.
Zverev looked set to break at 2-2 when he earned two break points, but the Italian showed remarkable resilience to save both and keep the set level. The missed opportunity did little to unsettle Zverev. He remained calm, held serve comfortably, and kept applying scoreboard pressure on his opponent.
As the set progressed, the German’s patience and big-match experience began to tell. With the score at 5-4, he finally got the opening he had been waiting for. Three consecutive forehand errors from Cobolli handed Zverev the decisive break, allowing him to clinch the set and take a crucial 2-1 lead in the final.
COBOLLI KEEPS BREATHING
Cobolli showed remarkable composure and resilience to force a deciding fifth set against Zverev. After dropping the third set and appearing to lose momentum, the Italian responded immediately by breaking serve at the start of the fourth, sending a clear message that he was far from finished.
Even when Zverev clawed his way back into the contest and erased Cobolli’s advantage, the Italian refused to panic, breaking straight back to regain control of the set.
The pressure only intensified as Cobolli served for the set and then found himself dragged into a tie-break by a determined Zverev.
Yet the 23-year-old continued to hold his nerve. After falling behind 3-1 in the tie-breaker, he produced a fearless response, winning crucial points and showcasing his shot-making brilliance. A delicate drop shot earned him two set points before a thunderous forehand winner sealed the tie-break and sent the final into a dramatic fifth set.
More to follow
– Ends
