Alexander Zverev defeated Flavio Cobolli, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1, in the French Open men’s singles final.
In one of the most tense Grand Slam finals in recent memory, Zverev was forced into a deciding fifth set by his Italian opponent.
But after years of heartbreak, the German refused to be denied, winning the fifth set 6-1 to clinch his maiden major title.
How many more Grand Slams does Alexander Zverev win now?
What a final!
During TNT Sports’ coverage, John McEnroe offered his immediate reaction.
John McEnroe says it is ‘something else’ watching Alexander Zverev finally win a Grand Slam
“It must’ve been 10 years [ago] I met him; he was talking about it way back when,” said McEnroe.
“Everyone anticipated he would win some, at least one.
“All the goings on and everything that’s transpired since, to see him finally do it, is something else.
“To get over the hump, because there were starting to be real questions whether it would happen. It’s all worth it now.”
Zverev lost his first three Grand Slam finals, leading many to wonder if he would ever get over the line.
Alexander Zverev’s record in Grand Slam finals (1-3)
| Grand Slam final | Opponent | Result | Score |
| 2020 US Open | Dominic Thiem | LOSS | 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-7 |
| 2024 French Open | Carlos Alcaraz | LOSS | 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, 1-6, 2-6 |
| 2025 Australian Open | Jannik Sinner | LOSS | 3-6, 6-7, 3-6 |
| 2026 French Open | Flavio Cobolli | WIN | 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 |
But he was fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time in Paris, as his three biggest rivals faltered.
Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz was unable to compete, while Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic both failed to reach the second week.
That left Zverev as the overwhelming favourite to take the title, and he finally delivered the trophy, dealing with the immense pressure on his shoulders.
Had he failed to win Sunday’s final against Cobolli, it’s hard to imagine he would ever have won a major.
McEnroe agreed when asked if today was ‘title or bust’ for Zverev.
“It was,” he said.
“The pressure was really on, but he came through in a big way.”
Zverev dropped two sets for the first time this tournament in the final, but recovered from a devastating fourth-set tiebreak setback to win.
Alexander Zverev’s route to the French Open title
- 1R [WIN] vs Benjamin Bonzi, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
- 2R [WIN] vs Tomas Machac, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
- 3R [WIN] vs Quentin Halys, 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
- 4R [WIN] vs Jesper De Jong, 7-6, 6-4, 6-1
- QF [WIN] vs Rafael Jodar, 7-6, 6-1, 6-3
- SF [WIN] vs Jakub Mensik, 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
- F [WIN] vs Flavio Cobolli, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1
Now a Grand Slam champion, Zverev can celebrate the biggest win of his career.
His family was overjoyed when their man converted match point, jumping up in excitement in his coaching box.
“I bet he feels like he’d fly out of this stadium right about now!” said McEnroe.
Zverev will enjoy this for quite some time, but what’s next for the world number three?
Alexander Zverev faces his next big challenge at Wimbledon
When looking at Zverev’s record at the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open, he doesn’t look out of place compared to other Grand Slam champions.
The same cannot be said about the German at Wimbledon.
Alexander Zverev’s Grand Slam performance timeline
| Grand Slam | Best result | Win/Loss record | Win % |
| Australian Open | Final – 2025 | 36-11 | 77% |
| French Open | Champion – 2026 | 45-10 | 82% |
| Wimbledon | Fourth round – 2017, 2021, 2024 | 16-9 | 64% |
| US Open | Final – 2020 | 28-10 | 74% |
Zverev has never quite got to grips with the grass at the All England Club and has yet to reach a quarter-final.
Last year, Zverev lost in the first round to Arthur Rinderknech, having lost in the fourth round and the third round the two years prior.
He will arrive in London as the second seed later this month, but even the most optimistic of fans will be cautious of grouping him among the favourites.
Can he prove them wrong? Only time will tell.
The 2026 Wimbledon Championships begin on Monday, June 29.
