Alexander Zverev finally captured his first major championship, defeating Italy’s Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 in the French Open final, according to The New York Times. For 13 years since turning professional, the 29-year-old German had been considered one of the best male players never to win a Grand Slam, having suffered three previous defeats in major finals.
Alexander Zverev Claims Maiden Grand Slam Title in Paris
The championship match lasted four hours and 16 minutes on the clay of Roland Garros, where Zverev collapsed onto the court and covered his eyes in emotion after securing match point, according to Roland Garros and The New York Times.
Zverev reflected that he had lost a Grand Slam final there two years prior, but expressed that now, finally, it was a happy ending, according to Roland Garros, adding that he truly felt the crowd was pushing him throughout the entire two weeks.
A Nerve-Racking Final and Path to Victory
The championship showdown pitted the second-seeded Zverev against the 10th-seeded Cobolli, who was playing in his first Grand Slam final, according to The Irish Times. Both players battled intense nerves and physical tension as the match wore on. Zverev fought through recurring issues with his forehand and second serve, while Cobolli felt the weight of the moment even more intensely in his maiden major final.
After splitting the opening two sets, Zverev claimed the third, but Cobolli rallied in a tense fourth set, capitalizing on double faults and a drop in Zverev’s first-serve percentage to force a tie-break. Cobolli won the tie-break to level the match, but Zverev regrouped in the fifth set, drawing on his experience and first serve to pull away and secure the Coupe des Mousquetaires, according to The New York Times and The Irish Times.
Heading into the tournament, the draw had opened up after top contenders like Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner exited early in the fortnight, leaving Zverev to assume the favorite label. Before his breakthrough in Paris, Zverev had triumphed at Masters 1000 events, won the ATP Finals twice, and earned an Olympic gold medal at Tokyo 2020.
Controversy and Off-Court Background
While the Philippe Chatrier crowd received Zverev’s victory warmly, his career remains a source of division among tennis spectators due to past domestic abuse allegations brought by former partners Olya Sharypova and Brenda Patea, according to The Irish Times. Zverev has repeatedly denied all accusations.
During the French Open in 2024, where Zverev reached his second Grand Slam final, a legal case involving Patea began at the Tiergarten District Court in Berlin and was eventually settled out of court, requiring Zverev to pay €200,000, with €150,000 going to the state treasury and the remainder to non-profit organizations, according to The New York Times. Court spokespersons noted that the termination was not a verdict on guilt or innocence, leaving tennis governing bodies without formal policy investigations into the matter, leaving responses largely confined to the public sphere.
