Alexander Zverev can finally call himself a Grand Slam champion, having outlasted Flavio Cobolli earlier today in a thrilling five-set encounter.
Although he threatened to falter a few times during the match, in the end, it was a result that felt vindicated.
He was quite comfortably the best player to have never won a major, and now that title will no longer belong to him.
Zverev’s title will bring about mixed emotions for many reasons, but he spoke kind words after the match in his on-court interview.
Every word of Alexander Zverev’s Roland Garros champion speech
The German began by speaking directly to his opponent, Flavio Cobolli.
He stated: “First of all I want to congratulate Flavio for an unbelievable two weeks. Reaching your first Grand Slam final and playing this way in your first Grand Slam final was incredible. Not many people do that. Congratulations to you, and really from the bottom of my heart I hope you will hold one of these trophies very soon.”
How many more Grand Slams does Alexander Zverev win now?
What a final!
Zverev then turned his attention to the Roland Garros fans, adding: “I would really like to thank the crowd.
“This court is so special to me in so many ways. I have had the best moments of my life on this court, and I have had the worst moment of my life on this court. I was lying on the floor in that corner over there four years ago with seven broken ligaments and two fractured bones, and I lost a Grand Slam final here two years ago.
“Now finally it is a happy ending. Thank you very much to the crowd. I really felt the crowd was pushing me throughout the entire two weeks, and without you guys I would not have won the tournament, so thank you so much.”
He concluded with a message to his team, going through them one by one.
Zverev smiled as he claimed: “Then I would like to thank my team.
“It’s funny because I have probably the longest-lasting team out of anybody in the world. I have the longest-lasting coach, who is my father; he has been there for 29 years. I have my brother, also 29 years; I can’t get rid of him either!
“I have my physical trainer, and we have been working together since 2014, when I was 16 years old.
“My best friend who has been in the box for over 10 years. Probably one of the most important people to me because he keeps me happy, which is very difficult to do.
“Then Sergei, we have been working together for over 10 years in different roles. The physio is new! He has been here for like two weeks, so great start to our relationship. Well done! Don’t ask for a bonus now”
If tennis were creating a fifth Grand Slam title, where would you want it held? 🌏
“I just want to say thank you to everybody. We have been through so much. Injuries, heartbreak, losses. We have been losers at times as well in the most important moments, but at the end of the day we are Grand Slam champions now, and that is what counts.”
Despite his win, Jim Courier was surprised by one thing that Zverev was allowed to do during the final.
The new best player to have never won a Grand Slam title
As mentioned earlier, Zverev is now no longer the best player to have never won a Grand Slam title. He will be delighted and massively relieved to have that moniker lifted.
Instead, this is a role that could now apply to a handful of players.
Marcelo Rios is one such example, who only reached a single major final, but did ascend to the top of the world rankings.
David Ferrer was a mainstay around the apex of the ATP Tour for a decade, yet couldn’t convert his only Grand Slam final either.
Other options are David Nalbandian, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Tomas Berdych.
Meanwhile, of the newer generation, players like Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas have both reached three major finals, yet lost them all.
