Zverev finally breaks through for maiden major title
Alexander Zverev won his first Grand Slam title at the French Open on Sunday, defeating Flavio Cobolli of Italy in a five-set final at Roland Garros. The German third seed came from behind to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2 in a match that lasted over four hours. Years of pent-up emotions came flooding out as Zverev collapsed to his knees on the clay after match point.
The 28-year-old had lost all three of his previous major finals: the 2020 US Open to Dominic Thiem after leading two sets to none, the 2024 French Open to Carlos Alcaraz after leading two sets to one, and the 2025 Australian Open to Jannik Sinner in straight sets. This win finally ended the narrative of Zverev as the best active player without a Grand Slam title.
Cobolli's historic run falls just short
Flavio Cobolli, 23, was playing in his first Grand Slam final after never having reached even a quarterfinal before this tournament. He became the first Italian man to play a French Open final since Adriano Panatta won the title 50 years ago. Cobolli and Panatta belong to the same tennis club in Rome. Tournament organizers had asked Panatta to present the trophy to the champion to honor the anniversary, and he was courtside for the ceremony.
Cobolli had a breakout tournament, losing only two sets on his way to the final. He beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals and Zachary Svajda in the fourth round. The Italian entered the match with a 1-3 head-to-head record against Zverev but had beaten him on clay earlier this season in Munich.
Men's draw opened up after top seeds fell early
The men's draw saw several upsets before the final. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner struggled in first-week heat and blew a two-set, 5-1 lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round. Novak Djokovic was eliminated the next day. Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz withdrew before the tournament with a right wrist injury. Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva won the women's singles title on Saturday.