…Alexander Zverev claimed his first Grand Slam title at Roland-Garros 2026, defeating Flavio Cobolli in a dramatic five-set final to end a run of three previous major final defeats. “Now, finally, it’s a happy ending.”
The wait is finally over for Alexander Zverev.
The Tokyo 2020 men’s singles tennis Olympic champion defeated Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in a dramatic five-set final at the 2026 French Open on Sunday (7 June), winning 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1 on Court Philippe-Chatrier for his first career Grand Slam title.
World No. 3 Zverev arrived at the final in Paris as the heavy favourite and, after racing through the opening set 6-1, appeared to be heading for a relatively straightforward afternoon. Cobolli, however, had other ideas.
The Italian settled into the match in the second set after taking advantage of a break opportunity to level the match. From that point on, the final became a battle of fine margins.
Growing in confidence with each passing game, Cobolli matched Zverev shot for shot and repeatedly forced the German to respond. The pair traded sets: Zverev the first, Cobolli the second, Zverev the third, before a dramatic fourth-set tiebreak sent the Roland-Garros final into a deciding set for the second year in a row.
The fifth set brought the match back to where it had started. Cobolli’s energy levels began to dip after more than three hours on court, and Zverev regained control, applying pressure on the Italian’s serve while keeping his calm composure throughout.
In the end, experience and form proved decisive. After 13 years of professional tennis, Zverev finally captured the Grand Slam title that had long eluded him. The 29-year-old becomes the first German man to win a major singles title since Boris Becker’s triumph at the 1996 Australian Open.
The victory also ends a painful run in Grand Slam finals.
Zverev entered Sunday’s match with an 0-3 record on tennis’ biggest stage. In the 2020 US Open final, he led by two sets before losing to Dominic Thiem in five – Thiem finding himself among those watching from the stands in Paris. Four years later at Roland-Garros, he held a two-sets-to-one advantage over Carlos Alcaraz before the Spaniard rallied to claim the title. At the 2025 Australian Open, Jannik Sinner defeated him in straight sets.
Winning in Paris is also symbolic for Zverev, who suffered a devastating ankle injury on the court in 2022. Today, on that same clay, he lifted the Coupe des Mousquetaires as high as his 1.98 (six-foot-six) frame would allow.
“This court is so special to me in so many ways,” Zverev said during the trophy ceremony. “I’ve had the best moments of my life on this court. I’ve had the worst moment of my life on this court. I was lying in that corner over there four years ago with seven torn ligaments and two fractured bones. I lost a Grand Slam final here two years ago, but now, finally, it’s a happy ending.”
The German also paid tribute to his team, which he described as “one of the longest-lasting teams in the world”, before thanking the tournament organisers and the Paris crowd.
“Without you guys, I definitely would not have won this tournament,” he said.
He also turned to Cobolli, whose run to a first Grand Slam final had been one of the stories of the fortnight.
“I hope that you will hold one of these trophies very soon,” Zverev told the Italian.
Cobolli, gracious in defeat after a breakthrough tournament, returned the compliment.
“If somebody asks me who deserved this title, I always said you,” he said.
Before leaving the court, he added with a smile: “Now that you’ve achieved your dream, let me win the next time.”
For years, Zverev carried the label of being “the best player never to win a Grand Slam title”. Will he get a new moniker after today? For now, it’s simply “Grand Slam champion”.
Relive the action below, most recent updates at the top.
