Alexander Zverev wins maiden French Open title after five-set battle

Alexander Zverev clinched his first Grand Slam title by defeating Flavio Cobolli in a dramatic five-set French Open final. The German ended his long wait for major success, becoming the first German man to win Roland Garros since 1937

Paris: Alexander Zverev finally broke his Grand Slam duck after overcoming a spirited challenge from Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 in a gripping French Open final on Sunday to lift the first major title of his career.

In an enthralling four-hour 20-minute contest on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the German fought back from the disappointment of letting a two-sets-to-one lead slip away and sealed the French Open 2026 crown in the decisive fifth set.

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It brought an end to Zverev’s long wait for a Grand Slam title, having suffered losses in three previous finals – at the US Open in 2020, Roland Garros in 2024, and the Australian Open in 2025, but the world No 3 managed to hold his nerve when it mattered, collapsing onto the clay in disbelief when he converted the championship point.

Zverev flew out of the blocks in the final, breaking Cobolli in the opening game, immediately asserting control at the baseline as his serve and groundstrokes were too potent for the Italian, who could not find a rhythm as the first set was over in just 34 minutes.

But Cobolli, in his first ever Grand Slam final, produced a fine response in the second set as the 24-year-old attacked with freedom, mixing in clever drop shots, and he found a breakthrough at 4-4 when Zverev sent a forehand wide.

The Italian held serve with authority, levelling the match to fire up the Paris crowd.

The third set turned out to be crucial. Holding serve all the way until the tenth game, it was a flurry of errors by Cobolli that handed Zverev a vital break which he then sealed when moving within one set of a long-awaited major title.

The nerves, however, began to show in the fourth set with Zverev gifting Cobolli a break in the first game, and then again when serving at 4-3 down.

The German clawed his way back to 5-5, but could not deny the Italian a sensational comeback in the tie-break as he battled back from 1-3 down, sealing it with a stunning forehand winner at set point to send the match into a decider.

With the momentum now firmly with Cobolli, and Zverev faltering yet again, the final appeared to be slipping away.

But the German stepped up to produce the finest tennis of the contest.

Despite his struggles in the fourth-set tie-break, Zverev immediately responded with an improved level in the fifth. Serving superbly and winning 83 percent of first-serve points, coupled with consistent groundstrokes forcing a barrage of Italian errors, the second seed broke Cobolli early and never looked back, saving all four break points he faced to win 6-1.

This is a career-defining title for Zverev, who had already captured two ATP Finals titles, seven Masters 1000 crowns, and an Olympic gold medal, but the 29-year-old can now add a Grand Slam title to his remarkable achievements.

The victory also puts him in the annals of German tennis. He became the first German man to win the French Open since Henner Henkel in 1937, and the first German man to win any Grand Slam title since Boris Becker triumphed at the Australian Open in 1996.

For Cobolli, defeat brought an end to a wonderful tournament, but the Italian departs Roland Garros having reached his first ever major final and set to enter the world’s top 10 for the very first time.