Zverev wins French Open for first Grand Slam title

Alexander Zverev finally shed one of tennis’ most persistent labels Sunday, winning his first Grand Slam title by beating Flavio Cobolli in a five-set French Open final at Roland Garros.

The third-ranked German defeated the No. 14 Italian 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 in more than four hours to claim the Coupe des Mousquetaires in his fourth major final. When Cobolli missed an overhead on Zverev’s second championship point, Zverev fell onto his back on the clay, covered his face with his hands and began sobbing. He rose with his shirt and arms coated in clay, then lifted both arms in celebration.

The victory made Zverev part of a small group of players who captured their first major title in their fourth Grand Slam final, joining Andre Agassi, Goran Ivanisevic and Dominic Thiem. It was also the 25th title of Zverev’s career.

Zverev had entered the final with past Grand Slam losses still prominent in his record. He lost the 2024 French Open final to Carlos Alcaraz after leading by two sets to one. At the 2020 U.S. Open, he held a two-set lead before losing to Thiem. Earlier this year, he was beaten in straight sets by Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open final.

This time, neither Sinner nor Alcaraz stood across the net. Sinner, the top-ranked player, went out in the second round after struggling in a first-week heat wave and wasting a two-set lead and a 5-1 advantage against Juan Manuel Cerundolo. Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, was eliminated a day later. Alcaraz, the two-time reigning champion in Paris, withdrew before the tournament because of an injured right wrist.

Zverev took control quickly in Sunday’s final. He broke Cobolli in a long opening game after the Italian shanked a forehand into the first row of the stands, a break that came after Zverev benefited from a backhand return that clipped the net and dropped over on Cobolli’s game point. Zverev’s play was sharp in the early stages, and a group of women in the stands held up letters spelling his nickname, “Sascha.”

Cobolli, playing in his first Grand Slam final, had never previously advanced beyond a major quarterfinal. He was trying to become the first Italian man to win the singles title at Roland Garros since Adriano Panatta 50 years ago. Cobolli comes from the same Rome tennis club as Panatta, and tournament organizers had asked Panatta to present the trophy to mark the anniversary of his 1976 victory.

Cobolli’s supporters, dressed in blue, rallied behind him as he pushed the match deep into the fourth set, chanting, “Ole, Ole, Ole; Flavio, Flavio.” After Zverev held for a 6-5 lead in the fourth, he received treatment from a trainer on his upper right leg. He then led 3-1 in the tiebreaker before Cobolli came back and finished it with a forehand winner up the line, drawing a roar from the crowd.

But the fifth set belonged to Zverev. Cobolli appeared to fade physically, and Zverev broke twice for a 3-0 lead after chasing down the Italian’s resistance, including a point in which Cobolli reached a drop shot only for Zverev to pass him up the line.

NPR reported that moments after Zverev’s previous Grand Slam final in Australia in 2025, a person in the stadium shouted the names of two of his ex-girlfriends who had accused him of physical abuse. One case was resolved after an agreement between German prosecutors, lawyers for Zverev and his former partner. The ATP Tour investigated another case and concluded there was insufficient evidence.

Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva won the women’s singles title Saturday.