Alexander Zverev has finally leapt over the Grand Slam hurdle.
Prior to Sunday’s contest, Zverev was widely considered to be one of the best players in tennis history to have never won a Grand Slam title.
The German is now a Grand Slam champion after defeating Flavio Cobolli in what was an enthralling, back-and-forth Roland Garros final.
How many more Grand Slams does Alexander Zverev win now?
What a final!
Zverev, who had lost three major finals prior to Sunday’s contest, defeated Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1.
Following his triumph in Paris, Zverev shared a humorous moment with former Wimbledon semi-finalist, Sam Querrey.
Alexander Zverev calls out Sam Querrey in humorous discussion
Querrey, who was on punditry duties for TNT Sports, began the interview by congratulating Zverev on his title triumph.
Zverev jokingly replied: “Sam who?”
The American then replied: “Sam Q.”
“Why are you on this channel, who hired you?” Zverev humorously remarked.
“Why are you here? You got all champions and then you got Sam Querrey.”
Querrey, a former world number nine, sat alongside John Isner, Sloane Stephens and Jim Courier.
Querrey replied to Zverev by saying: “You’re going to call John Isner a champion?”
The pair, who have previously spoken at length on the Nothing Major Show, eventually began the formalities of the interview.
“When that final overhead went long, did you feel more relief from within or more excitement?” Querrey [pictured below] asked the world number three and new Roland Garros champion.
“First of all, I’m very happy that I’m holding this, because you said I never will,” Zverev said in what was a good-natured reply.
“So thank you very much for your confidence.
“For the people that don’t know, we have a love-hate relationship. I actually love it. I love giving you a hard time.”
“I was kind of in a state where I was ready to keep playing, funny enough” Zverev admitted.
“But then I saw my box and they all raised their hands in the air and then I was like, ‘okay, it’s over. I won and I’m a Grand Slam champion.’
“It was relief, it was all the emotions. All came together.”
Zverev’s light-hearted remarks may point to something larger – the weight of the world finally rising from the German’s shoulders.
For so long the German has been plagued with the label of being a ‘nearly-man’ – an individual who, when the moment arrived, would fail to deliver.
Zverev certainly showed signs of nerves during Sunday’s contest. However, when it truly mattered in the fifth and final set, the 29-year-old delivered.
Paolo Bertolucci reacts to the Roland Garros final
Bertolucci, a Davis Cup champion with Italy, has offered his first reaction to Sunday’s final in a post on social media.
Bertolucci, the former world number 12, heavily praised Flavio Cobolli, despite the devastating loss.
“The strongest, most experienced player has won so far,” Bertolucci said in an X post translated from Italian.
“A fantastic tournament for Flavio Cobolli, who, setting aside improvisation, embraces concreteness.
“The future smiles on him.”
With Jannik Sinner exiting the tournament in the second round, Cobolli picked up the mantle and carried his nation on his back, battling past many worthy opponents on his way to the championship showpiece in Paris.
For this, Cobolli should be praised. The young man has well and truly cemented his status as a serious Grand Slam contender, and one would not be surprised if the Italian wins a Grand Slam title in the near future.
