Zverev Breaks Curse, Wins First Major Title At Roland-Garros

Alexander Zverev, Roland-Garros
Alexander Zverev (photo: Jürgen Hasenkopf)

PARIS/WASHINGTON, June 7, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)

At 29, Alexander Zverev came into Sunday afternoon’s French Open men’s singles final looking to shed the title of best male player never to win a major. He faced an Italian opponent – not the expected Jannik Sinner, who shockingly was eliminated in the second round, but the unexpected Flavio Cobolli, 24, who was playing in his first Grand Slam final.

While Zverev’s three major losses came against better players – Dominic Thiem at the 2020 US Open, Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 French Open, and last year against Sinner at the Australian Open – this was his first Grand Slam final where he was the favorite to win.

At stake for the World No. 3 Zverev was a chance to finally grab an elusive first Grand Slam title after three previous major heartbreaks. As for Cobolli, ranked 14th, it was an opportunity to become the first Italian male in 50 years – not since Adriano Panatta in 1976 – to win Roland-Garros.

Just who would clinch their first Grand Slam title, the second-seeded Zverev or No. 10 seed Cobolli?

It would be Zverev, who needed four hours and 16 minutes – as well as five sets – to beat Cobolli, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 to win the Roland-Garros title and break the curse. His lifelong dream of winning a major finally had been achieved. Four years ago, Zverev tore three lateral ligaments in his right ankle lunging after a return during a semifinal match against Rafael Nadal, in which he was forced to retire and subsequently underwent surgery. Then, two years ago, he lost a difficult five-set final to Alcaraz after being ahead two-sets-to-one.

Now, Zverev is the first player not named Sinner or Alcaraz to win a men’s major title in a while. They had won the last nine Grand Slam crowns dating back to the start of the 2024 season.

“I just want to say thank you to everybody because, to be honest, we’ve been through so much,” Zverev said during his trophy ceremony speech. “We’ve been through injuries, we’ve been through heartbreak, we’ve been through losses. We’ve been losers at times as well in the most important moments. But at the end of the day, we’re Grand Slam champions now, and that’s what counts. …

“This court is so special to me in so many ways,” Zverev added. “I have had the best moments of my life on this court and the worst moment of my life on these courts. I was playing in the corner four years ago over there with seven broken ligaments and two fractured bones. I lost a Grand Slam final here two years ago, but now, finally, it is a happy end.

“Thank you very much to the crowd. I really felt like the crowd was pushing me the entire two weeks. Without you guys I definitely wouldn’t have won the tournament. Thank you very much.”

Although Cobolli beat Zverev on clay earlier this year, in the semifinal round at Munich, the Hamburg native came into Sunday’s championship final leading their head-to-head 3-1. He walked out on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the iconic Parisian clay court stadium, to the loud applause generated from a sell-out crowd of 15,225.

As the final unfolded, Zverev looked determined, while Cobolli appeared tight. The German star jumped out of the starting gate fast and grabbed a double-break 4-1 lead. His service holds were comfortable, while Cobolli’s forehands repeatedly misfired under pressure and the unforced errors piled up – he made 16 in the opening set. Zverev consolidated his second break to lead 5-1 after a scrappy game with errors from both players. However, Zverev’s big serve continued to wear down Cobolli, and in the next game, the German No. 1 broke his opponent for the third time with a forehand winner – his ninth winner of the set – to capture the 36-minute opening set 6-1.

Next, Zverev began the second set with a comfortable hold as Cobolli’s returns continued to drift under pressure. It was Zverev’s fifth straight winning game. Then, Cobolli finally broke the streak with a clean hold, thanks to a clutch ace – his first – and Zverev followed it with a couple of love holds for a 3-2 lead.

At 3-all, Zverev saved a break point by winning a brutal 24-shot rally, but lost the 14-point game when he was broken by Cobolli for the first time in the match. The young Italian consolidated the break with a slick forehand winner to lead 5-3. Then, Zverev dug in deep, fought through a couple of deuces and held serve after enduring a 14-point game. Next, Cobolli served for the set to level the match, and did so, winning 6-4. His crucial break in the seventh game of the 53-minute set proved the difference and put an end to Zverev’s early dominance of the final.

The third set began just like the second as both Zverev and Cobolli remained on serve at 3-all. Then, after a dominant hold by Zverev at love, Cobolli leveled matters with a composed hold that included a pair of clever drop shots and a crisp forehand winner. Soon, two early aces and a clean seven-shot rally winner by Zverev pushed him ahead 5-4. Finally, Zverev broke Cobolli to claim the 45-minute third set 6-4. Three consecutive unforced forehand errors by Cobolli handed the break and the set to Zverev.

However, Cobolli rebounded to break Zverev to open the fourth set. A double fault, a misread drop shot and a forehand return winner sealed the game for Cobolli. Immediately, he backed up the break with a hold for a 2-0 lead, which included a 21-shot rally winner. Later, Cobolli maintained his break lead at 3-1 with big serving and a backhand winner. Next, Zverev held to cut Cobolli’s lead to 3-2 with some big serving of his own – a 215 km/h second serve out wide on game point that the Italian No. 3 wasn’t able to get back over the net.

Then, Zverev struck back and broke to level to set at 3-all after Cobolli had saved multiple break points. However, it was short lived as Cobolli broke right back for a 4-3 advantage, thanks to three net errors, including the final point.

As the final inched near the three-hour mark, Cobolli held after deuce to lead 5-3, sealing the game with a beautiful drop-shot winner. Then, Zverev followed with an easy hold at love, which gave Cobolli the opportunity to serve for the set following the ninth-game changeover. However, Zverev broke back to level the set at 5-all. A 23-shot opening point set the tone, then Zverev put away the game with a clinical backhand winner, wrong-footing Cobolli. Next, Zverev held for 6-5 after hitting his sixth ace of the final. Soon, Cobolli held with his fifth ace to level the set at 6-all and to send it to a tiebreaker.

In the tie-break, Zverev jumped ahead 3-1 after winning back-to-back 20-plus-shot rallies. However, Cobolli recovered and tied the score at 3-all by capitalizing on a forced error and unforced error by Zverev. He edged ahead with an inside-in forehand and made it 5-3 after a double-fault by Zverev. Soon, Cobolli ripped a cross-court forehand winner to set up set point at 6-4. Finally, at 6-5, Cobolli struck a sixth-shot forehand winner to capture the tie-break 7-5 and the set 7-6, which stretched across an hour and 14 minutes.

The crowd erupted after Cobolli evened the final at two sets each and it was on to a fifth set, where Zverev immediately broke to go ahead 1-0. Then, he withstood a couple of double-faults and multiple deuces before consolidating the break for a 2-0 lead. Zverev made it a double-break lead at 3-0 after a backhand winner down the line zoomed past Cobolli as the final drew near the four-hour mark. Later, Zverev saved three break points after double-faulting for the eighth time and held for 4-0 after hitting a stunning drop-shot winner. Soon, Cobolli held at love to get on the scoreboard in the decider, but Zverev responded with a comfortable hold to extend his lead to 5-1, needing to win just one more game to become a first-time champion.

Finally, Zverev achieved what had eluded him for his entire career – he became a Grand Slam champion after breaking Cobolli one last time – the ninth time during the title match. As soon as he secured championship point, Zverev released his emotions. He fell to his back in celebration – allowing his backside to become caked in red clay – and was visibly moved. He covered his eyes with his hands and began crying. 

At last, the curse had been broken. Zvevev’s 25th career ATP Tour title brought him his biggest glory – his first Grand Slam crown.

Not since Steffi Graf in 1999 had a German – man or woman – won Roland-Garros. Zverev became the first German man in the Open Era to win the French Open and the first German man since Henner Henkel in 1937 to win the clay-court major. The last German man to win a Grand Slam title was Boris Becker in 1996 at the Australian Open.

Zverev finished the title match with 50 winners – including six aces – and made 54 unforced errors, compared to Cobolli’s 42 winners (6 aces), and 65 unforced errors. Zverev won 73 percent (79 of 108) of his first-serve points, converted nine of 21 break points and outpointed Cobolli 162-136.

During the trophy ceremony, Cobolli, who was attempting to become the fourth Italian player to win a Grand Slam title after Nicola Pietrangeli, Panatta and Sinner, praised Zverev. “I want to start with you Alex. If someone asked me who deserves this title, I always said you,” Cobolli said. “It has been an honor to share the court with you today. I am happy for you but I am also sad as I was close and I felt it. Now that you have achieved your dream, let me win next time.”

“I started playing tennis when I was young. I never expected this kind of result. Now that I’m here I just wanna make possible something special because for me it’s not done. It’s only the start. I’m still young so … I just want to enjoy every moment I spend on court with my smile. I don’t know what else to say now. Just make some noise for Sascha.”

When it was Zverev’s turn, he spoke positively of Cobolli. “I want to congratulate Flavio. Unbelievable two weeks. Reaching your first Grand Slam final,” he said. “Playing this way in your first Grand Slam final is incredible, not many people do that. Congratulations to you. Really from the bottom of my heart I hope that you will hold one of these trophies very soon.”

Looking back, through all the pressure and panic spread across the afternoon and into early evening in Paris, Zverev had turned burden into belief – and answered all the questions. He raised the Coupe des Mousquetaires high in the air and kissed it proudly. 

Siniakova and Townsend win first R-G title, third major crown

Katerina Siniakova of Czechia and Taylor Townsend of the United States won their first Roland-Garros title and third major crown as a team – and showed why they’re the top team in women’s doubles Sunday afternoon.

Siniakova, (ranked No. 1), and Townsend, (ranked No. 2), defeated No. 2 seeds Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia, 6-2, 7-5, in one hour and 32 minutes on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

From 3-1 down in the second set, Siniakova and Townsend won six of the last eight games of the final. They converted four of nine break-point chances and outpointed Danilina and Krunic 70-54. It was the second win for Siniakova and Townsend over Danilina and Krunic in four career meetings.

The Czech/American duo, both 30, previously won titles together at Wimbledon in 2024 and the Australian Open in 2025. Siniakova has now garnered four Roland-Garros titles. She won in 2018 and 2021 with Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia and in 2024 with Coco Gauff of the United States. Townsend was a runner-up in Paris with Leylah Fernandez in 2023. Siniakova and Townsend have also won four WTA 1000 titles together.

Danilina, 30, and Krunic, 33, were finalists at Roland-Garros last year and at the Australian Open in January.

During the trophy presentation, Townsend said of her teammate: “Kat, this has been fun. I’m really enjoying being by your side. For us, not only as a team but getting a chance to know each other and be able to share these moments together, it strengthens our bond. We’ve known each other for a lot of years, but these last two years have been so much fun getting to know you on and off the court.

“To get a chance to know your family and everyone who’s behind you, who loves you and cares about you – you can add me and my team, my people to that. We love and care about you as well, so thank you for being by my side and thank you for being a friend.”

Wiping away tears, Siniakova added: “I think it just got into me what I just achieved.

“Standing here reminds me of winning my first Grand Slam here in 2018. I’m really enjoying this team work, on and off the court. I’m really enjoying this journey.”

Siniakova has now won 11 major women’s doubles titles, while Townsend has won three.

By the numbers

• Alexander Zverev, who has appeared in four Grand Slam finals, became the first German men’s singles champion at Roland-Garros in the Open Era and just the second since Henner Henkel in 1937.

The last German man to win a Grand Slam singles title was Boris Becker at the 1996 Australian Open.

Zverev is also the first first-time men’s major champion since Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open in 2024.

• Alexander Zverev is the third man born in the 1990s to win a major trophy. He joins 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem and 2021 US Open titlist Daniil Medvedev.

• All three top-seeded teams won the men’s, women’s and mixed doubles titles this year at Roland-Garros. According to Matt Roberts of The Tennis Podcast, it’s the fifth Grand Slam event in Open Era history – and first since 1987 at the US Open – that top seeds have won all three doubles titles.

“Quotable …”

“It’s such a huge jump all of a sudden. But really, it’s been 18 years of hard work, patience, and perseverance. I had to go through so much to be in this place, in this position. You know, life’s weird sometimes. You just got to kind of do your thing and believe that it will click someday. I’m happy that it did.”

– Maja Chwalinska of Poland, who went from qualifier to finalist, describing during her post-match news conference Saturday what clicked with her during her three weeks in Paris. Her ranking will jump from No. 114 to No. 21 after reaching her first major final.

 

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