Breakthrough at last for Zverev in beating Cobolli to win the French Open
PARIS: Alexander Zverev has finally scaled the mountain at Roland Garros, capturing his elusive first French Open title in a spectacular, see-sawing five-set thriller on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
The second-seeded German overcame a relentless performance from Italy’s Flavio Cobolli, ultimately prevailing 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 in front of a captivated Parisian crowd. The victory marks a monumental milestone for Zverev, validating years of near-misses on the red clay and cementing his status at the very top of men’s tennis.
From the opening baseline exchanges, Zverev looked primed for a swift afternoon. He weaponized his towering first serve and dictatorial backhand, steamrolling through the opening set in dominant fashion. However, Cobolli, the tenth seed and the tournament’s breakout star, refused to yield.
The Italian found his rhythm in the second set, utilizing exquisite drop shots and blistering forehands to disrupt the German’s baseline rhythm and level the match.
The contest rapidly evolved into a psychological war of attrition. While Zverev reasserted his authority to claim the third set, Cobolli answered with tremendous grit in the fourth, saving multiple break points to drag the set into a tiebreak. Riding a wave of vocal support, Cobolli edged the tiebreak 7-5, sending the final into a winner-take-all deciding set.
Faced with the pressure of another potential Grand Slam heartbreak, Zverev displayed the emotional maturity that has come to define his seasoned career. Rather than panicking, he elevated his game to an untouchable level in the fifth. Breaking Cobolli early, Zverev won 76 percent of his first-serve points and converted crucial break opportunities to run away with the decider.
As Cobolli’s final forehand drifted wide, an exhausted Zverev dropped to his knees on the clay, arms outstretched in pure relief. After enduring horrific ankle injuries and agonizing semifinal exits in Paris over previous years, the German has finally earned his place in Roland Garros history, hoisting the Coupe des Mousquetaires high into the Parisian sky.
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