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Germany's Alexander Zverev achieved a career milestone on Sunday, claiming his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros after defeating Italian Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 in an enthralling five-set final on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
In a four-hour, 20-minute contest, Zverev displayed composure and resilience, recovering from a dramatic fourth-set tie-break loss to dominate the decider. Overcome with emotion, the 29-year-old collapsed onto the clay after converting match point before sharing a sportsmanlike embrace with Cobolli, according to the ATP website. Zverev's triumph marks a crowning achievement in a career already decorated with two Nitto ATP Finals titles, seven ATP Masters 1000 crowns, and an Olympic singles gold medal. Having endured heartbreak in his previous three Grand Slam finals--including losses to Dominic Thiem at the 2020 US Open, Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 Roland Garros, and Jannik Sinner at the 2025 Australian Open--Zverev finally broke through to lift a major trophy. The second seed in Paris, Zverev, benefited from a dramatic tournament draw. Top seed Sinner exited early, while Alcaraz withdrew due to injury. Zverev dropped just two sets on his path to the final, overcoming Cobolli's aggressive play and late-match nerves in a tense showdown. In the decisive fifth set, he made 83 per cent of his first-serve points and saved all four break points to seal victory. With this win, Zverev becomes the first German man to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires since Henner Henkel in 1937 and only the third in the Open Era, following Boris Becker and Michael Stich. He is also the third player born in the 1990s to win a major, joining Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev. For Cobolli, who was contesting his first Grand Slam final, the defeat comes after an impressive run in Paris, including wins over seeded players Felix Auger-Aliassime and Learner Tien. The 24-year-old Italian rises four spots to World No. 10 in the ATP rankings, set to reach a career-high on Monday. Zverev and Cobolli's rivalry now stands at 3-1 in favour of the German, with their recent clay encounters split between victories in Munich, Madrid, and Roland Garros. Sunday's final showcased a blend of power, precision, and endurance, cementing Zverev's status among tennis' elite. (ANI)
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