How Alexander Zverev finally won a major title
Key takeaways
- As the German clinched his first Grand Slam title, in his fourth final, he fell on to his back, tears flowing.
- "I want to say thank you to everyone," he said on the court after his five-set victory over Flavio Cobolli of Italy in the final Sunday.
- The first German man to win a Grand Slam singles title since Boris Becker in Melbourne in 1996, Zverev knew this was his best chance to win a major.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Alexander Zverev won the French Open title on Sunday, defeating Flavio Cobolli in five sets. Susan Mullane-Imagn Images Simon Cambers Multiple Authors Jun 7, 2026, 05:07 PM ETEmail Print Open Extended Reactions PARIS -- For Alexander Zverev, the relief was palpable.
As the German clinched his first Grand Slam title, in his fourth final, he fell on to his back, tears flowing. The pain of getting so close at the US Open in 2020, and the near misses at Roland Garros in 2024 and the Australian Open in 2025 disappeared.
"I want to say thank you to everyone," he said on the court after his five-set victory over Flavio Cobolli of Italy in the final Sunday. "We have been through so much. We have been through injury, heartbreaks, losses, we have been losers at times in the most important moments. At the end of the day, we are Grand Slam champions now, and that is what counts."