Alexander Zverev once said: “Instead of being the best player who has never won a Slam, I would prefer to be the worst player who has won a Slam.”
Yesterday that all changed.
After defeating Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 in over four hours, Zverev ensured his name will forever be etched in tennis history.
The Hamburg-born German is one of the most accomplished players of his generation, with an Olympic gold medal, two ATP Finals crowns, seven Masters 1000 titles, a career-high ranking of World No. 2, and more than two dozen ATP Tour titles.
But until now, a Grand Slam title had always eluded him.
And after four hours of severe physical and mental stress on court – as well as a lifetime of preparation and three near misses in Grand Slam finals – Zverev finally converted on his second match point when a Cobolli smash sailed out. The 29-year-old collapsed to the floor in disbelief.
“First of all, I didn’t believe that I won. Then I saw my box, and they all celebrated. That’s when I realized that I’d won,” said Zverev. “Especially seeing my father raise his arms, that was when it kind of hit me. Then when I was on the ground, all the emotions came out because this court is very special to me.”
Zverev became the first German to win a Grand Slam since Boris Becker’s Australian Open win in 1996, as well as becoming the first person from his country to win at on the red dirt of Roland Garros. After securing the most important victory of his career, he dedicated his title to his team who have been together as a bedrock of support to him for over a decade.
In a match full of twists and drama, Zverev appeared unstable and seemed to be cramping at the end of the fourth set – but was this more physical or mental?
“Yes, I was cramping,” said Zverev. “I was struggling physically a little bit, even though I don’t think the cramps were physical. I think they were more mental. I was very tightened up. I was very emotional. I actually think that the cramps helped me in a way. I kind of hit my shots a bit more and then just let go. And, of course, the fifth set went my way, and I’m happy about that and happy to be sitting next to this beautiful trophy for the first time.”
The Philippe Chatrier Centre Court has been a cruel place for Zverev; first when he shattered his ankle after a fall against Rafael Nadal in the 2022 semi-finals, and then during a five-set defeat against Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 final.
“It’s special in a very positive way, but also special in a negative way because I had some of the toughest moments of my life and my tennis career here. I was lying on this court with an injury that I didn’t know if I would ever come back from. I lost a Grand Slam final here. All of those memories are still with me, but this one will beat all of them.”
This year’s French Open was one of the most turbulent and unpredictable in years. It began with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz ruled out with a wrist injury, followed by shock losses to rivals Jannik Sinner from two sets and 5-1 up against Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round, and 24-time grand slam champion Novak Djokovic going out to Joao Fonseca a round later after being two sets to love up. The changeable windy weather during week two was also completely different to the heatwave which brought intense temperatures during the first week.
With no Alcaraz, Sinner, or Djokovic to contend with, it cleared the path for the German to reach the final – and the pressure was mounting on him daily to finally win his first major. Although Zverev was happy with how he handled himself during the tournament, he admitted that he felt “very tight” on Sunday given the circumstances, but also explained how the cramps helped him to loosen up:
“I honestly feel like I’ve managed the last two weeks extremely well because, with all the losses that happened early on, with Jannik going out and Novak going out, I managed to stay composed. I managed to stay calm in my mind, and I feel like I was playing really, really good tennis. But today (Sunday) I didn’t manage it so well. I feel like the match was a lot more up and down. The level was not as stable as in previous matches, and I was a lot more nervous, which at some stage is also human, I think.
“That’s why I say the cramps helped me in a way. My mind let go. I started swinging more freely. I started hitting the ball more aggressively. I couldn’t focus on being tight anymore. I had to let go. That’s why I played the fifth set the way I did.”
Zverev won the 2014 Australian Open junior title aged just 16 and marked his arrival on the international stage. Two years later he defeated Stan Wawrinka in the final of the St. Petersburg Open to with his first ATP title. And in 2017 he clinched his first Masters 1000 title by defeating Novak Djokovic in the Rome final.
Zverev, who started playing tennis at the tender age of five and was coached by his father, admitted struggling with motivation and the grind of the tennis circuit after Wimbledon last year, but rediscovered his form in Austria. He compared the emotional contrast of then and now:
“Last year was not a good year for me. I didn’t play well. I was struggling a lot with physical issues, and my tennis,” he said. “I started playing really well again, I felt like, in Vienna. I’m far away from that moment right now. I think last year was one of the most difficult moments in my tennis career. This year is one of the happiest moments in my tennis career, and it’s a very different feeling right now. For sure, this trophy helps the belief a lot.”
Now that Zverev has finally got the monkey off his back, he was asked whether his level of play would rise from now on, and if he could play without the burden and pressure he has felt thus far.
“It happened for me very early at the Masters Series because I won one when I was 20 years old, and I’ve won a lot of Masters after that. So, I had that release at a Masters-level event very quickly, and at a Grand Slam it took longer,” he explained. “Now, no matter what happens, I will 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 a little bit calmer when I play a final, knowing that even if I lose it, I will still be a Grand Slam champion.”
Zverev once played an exhibition match against Roger Federer on a glacier in Switzerland.
But in Paris he demonstrated his cool nerves under serious pressure during the clinical fifth set where he was finally able to let go.
“This trophy is very important for me because if I had lost this one, the self-belief would have gone down a lot. But now that I’ve won it, I feel like I can do it again.”
