Alexander Zverev conquers demons and outlasts Flavio Cobolli to win French Open for first major title
As the man who had condemned him to his first bruising grand slam final loss watched from the stands, Alexander Zverev finally overcame his demons, and the spirited but inexperienced Flavio Cobolli, to claim a first major title, winning 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 at Roland Garros
As the man who had condemned him to his first bruising grand slam final loss watched from the stands, Alexander Zverev finally overcame his demons, and the spirited but inexperienced Flavio Cobolli, to claim a first major title, winning 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 at Roland Garros.
Dominic Thiem was responsible for his five-set loss in the US Open showpiece six years ago and the scar tissue from that defeat, and two more since in slam finals, has haunted Zverev, the 2020 Olympic champion and often dubbed the best male player to have never won a slam.
He was the overwhelming favourite for the title in the absence of Carlos Alcaraz and after the exits of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, against the world No 14 Cobolli, the only top-25 player he has faced all fortnight and a debutant on this stage.
Those demons were evident in a nervy and generally low-quality showing on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Sunday, but Zverev ultimately managed to conquer his own mind and break Cobolli’s resistance – with a significant helping hand from Cobolli himself in a four-and-a-quarter-hour final decided more on errors and wobbles than anything else. It was a final which if Zverev had not won would suggest that he never would.
The 29-year-old said: “This court is so special to me in so many ways. I have had the best moments of my life in this court and I have had the worst moment of my life on this court.
“I was laid in that corner four years ago with seven broken ligaments and two fractured bones [in a horrific injury suffered in the 2022 semi-finals]. I lost a Grand Slam final here two years ago. But now, finally, it is a happy ending.”
“It’s not easy for me to talk right now,” 24-year-old Cobolli said afterwards with a sad smile. “It’s been an honour to share the court with you today. I’m happy for you but I’m also sad because I was close and I feel it... so now you’ve achieved your dream let me win it next time.”
The danger for the rest of the tour is that now Zverev has overcome what was always his most significant opponent, his own mind, there may be more slam titles to come.
