Full story
Zverev wins in Paris
Alexander Zverev beat Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 to win the French Open men’s singles title on Sunday in Paris, ending his first Grand Slam title drought in his fourth final.
“Years of pent-up emotions came flooding out of Alexander Zverev when he finally won the French Open Years of pent-up emotions came flooding out of Alexander Zverev when he finally won the French Open PARIS (AP) — It all came rushing back to Alexander Zverev when he was lying on his back on the French Open’s center court, his hands covering his face, and sobbing on Sunday as he realized that he had — finally — become a Grand Slam champion”
The match was played on the French Open’s center court, where Zverev had previously twisted his right ankle and crumpled to the ground before being pushed off on a wheelchair during a semifinal match against Rafael Nadal in 2022.
Zverev’s sobbing came after Cobolli missed an overhead on the second championship point after more than four hours of the five-set encounter, and Zverev said, “All the emotions came out, because this court is very, very special to me.”
AP described Zverev’s breakthrough as a flood of “Years of pent-up emotions” as he realized he had “finally—become a Grand Slam champion,” and ESPN framed the moment as relief after the German clinched his first Grand Slam title in his fourth final.
The BBC reported that Zverev “instantly fell backwards onto the clay and sobbed into his hands” when Cobolli sent a smash long on the second match point.
Quotes, nerves, and context
Zverev’s emotions were tied to the court’s history for him, and he told AP, “I was laying on this court with an injury that I didn’t know if I would ever come back from.”
The BBC described a tense fourth set where Zverev twice fell a break down, produced a series of costly double faults, and needed electrolytes to fight off cramp.
In the same BBC account, Cobolli could not serve the fourth set out at 5-4 up and blew his first set point in the tie-break by framing a simple forehand volley, before recovering to force a decider.
ESPN added that Zverev said, “I want to say thank you to everyone,” after his five-set victory over Cobolli on the court.
The Guardian also quoted Zverev addressing his team, saying, “We’ve been through injuries. We’ve been through heartbreak. We’ve been through losses.”
What it means next
The BBC said Zverev became “the first man other than Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz to win a Grand Slam singles title since 2023,” after Sinner’s early exit in Paris and Alcaraz’s absence with injury.
“PARIS -- ForAlexander Zverev, the relief was palpable”
AP reported that Zverev’s title came in a draw where there was no Jannik Sinner or Alcaraz across the net, and it noted that 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic was also eliminated.
ESPN said Zverev’s path to the title was cleared by the wrist injury that kept Carlos Alcaraz out, and it also described the tournament’s shock defeat for Sinner in Round 2 and Djokovic’s loss in Round 3.
The Guardian framed the result as uncomfortable for some fans and spectators around the world, citing that Zverev has been accused of domestic violence by two former partners, Olya Sharypova and Brenda Patea.
In a separate post-match account, the BBC noted that Zverev’s sobbing followed Cobolli’s missed overhead, while the New York Times reported the final lasted four hours, 16 minutes and ended with Zverev lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy.
