After falling in three major finals, including in Paris two years ago, Zverev capped his stellar run by outlasting Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 to become the first German man to capture a Slam since Boris Becker’s Australian Open triumph three decades ago.
In a Paris fortnight during which Carlos Alcaraz was absent due to injury and Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic lost early to blow the draw wide open, the second seed embraced his new status as the favourite for the Musketeers’ Cup and delivered.
“This trophy helps the belief a lot… this year is one of the happiest moments in my career,” Zverev said, joking that he would not care if he was called the worst player to win a major.
“To be honest, I’m a little bit drunk already… I’m just happy to be sitting next to this trophy.
“Now, no matter what happens, I’ll always be a Grand Slam champion, and nobody can take that away from me. Maybe that does give me some freedom. Maybe my mind will be calmer when I play a final… even if I lose, I’ll still be a Grand Slam champion.
“This trophy for me is very important, because if I’d have lost this one, the self-belief would have gone down a lot. Now that I’ve won it, I feel I can do it again.”
Cobolli, the 10th seed, was bidding to become the first Italian man to win the French Open in 50 years.
The 24-year-old had never even played a Slam semi-final before, let alone a final, after his last-four opponent Matteo Arnaldi withdrew from the tournament through illness.
Both players appeared to struggle with nerves at various points in the match, especially Cobolli during an error-strewn first set.
But Zverev’s greater experience showed in a deciding set that was far tenser than the scoreline suggested, as he managed to get over the line.
The world number three was not always in control, making 54 unforced errors, but did enough to finally shed the tag of being one of the best players to have never won a major.
Defeats in his three previous Grand Slam finals, at the US Open in 2020, the French Open in 2024 and the Australian Open in 2025, had raised questions about whether Zverev would ever cross the finish line, but the 29-year-old proved his doubters wrong.
Zverev dropped to the floor and sobbed, before dusting himself off to greet his close friend Cobolli, and then soaked up the applause at a venue where he has tasted joy, sorrow and pain in equal measure.
He left the 2022 tournament in a wheelchair after seriously injuring his ankle in the semi-finals against Rafa Nadal.
“This court is so special to me in so many ways,” he added. “Some of the best moments of my life have happened on this court, and some of the worst too. I sat here with seven broken bones four years ago, and I lost a final here.”
The 24-year-old Cobolli was left to rue a missed chance to return the Roland Garros men’s title to Italy for the first time in 50 years after Adriano Panatta beat American Harold Solomon in the 1976 title clash.
“It’s not easy for me to talk right now, but I want to start with you, Alex,” Cobolli said.
“If someone asked me who deserved this title more, I would always say you. It’s been an honour, through our relationship, to share the court today.
“I’m happy for you, but I’m also sad, because I was close, and I feel it now. You achieved your dream. Let me win the next time.” (Agencies)
