Germany’s Alexander Zverev secured his first Grand Slam championship by overcoming Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in a gripping five-set final at the 2026 French Open on Sunday. Zverev triumphed with a scoreline of 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1, capturing the prestigious Roland Garros trophy and marking a major milestone in his professional career.
The 29-year-old, ranked world number three and seeded second in the tournament, became the first German male player to win a Grand Slam since Boris Becker’s 1996 Australian Open victory. This breakthrough victory ended years of near misses for Zverev, who had previously reached finals at the US Open 2020 and French Open 2024 without clinching the title.
Zverev’s journey to the championship was marked by a series of commanding performances throughout the tournament. He defeated Benjamin Bonzi in the first round (6-3, 6-4, 6-2), followed by wins over Tomas Machac (6-4, 6-2, 6-2) and Quentin Halys (6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2) in the subsequent rounds. In the fourth round, he overcame Jesper de Jong (7-6, 6-4, 6-1), then Rafael Jodar in the quarter-finals (7-6, 6-1, 6-3), and Jakub Mensik in the semi-finals (7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3).
Born in Hamburg, Zverev began playing tennis at five years old and quickly rose through the junior ranks, becoming a former junior world number one. He made his ATP main draw debut in 2013 and secured his first ATP title in 2016. Over the years, Zverev has amassed multiple Masters titles, won the ATP Finals twice, and earned Olympic gold at Tokyo 2021.
Despite these achievements, Grand Slam success had eluded him until now, with setbacks including a serious ankle injury in 2022. This French Open victory represents a defining moment in Zverev’s career, solidifying his status among the sport’s elite.
