88 Years of waiting is over! Alexander Zverev wins his first Grand Slam at French Open and ends Germany's long drought in Paris

Alexander Zverev won the Roland Garros final after a five-set victory over Flavio Cobolli, finally converting his fourth appearance in a Grand Slam final into a maiden major title. The German overcame a match defined by extended momentum swings, early dominance, mid-match resistance from Cobolli and a decisive fifth-set break that separated both players in the closing stages of the contest.

The result carries significant weight in Zverev’s career narrative, ending a long-standing wait after three previous Grand Slam final defeats. It also marks the first time in 88 years that a German has won a title at Roland Garros. Prior to Zverev, it was Henner Henkel in 1937. For the women, it was Steffi Graf who won her final Roland Garros title in 1999 by defeating Martina Hingis. In doubles, it was Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies who won back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2020.

At Roland Garros, he showed the ability to reset after losing momentum in the second and fourth sets, responding under pressure in the fifth to secure the title. Cobolli, meanwhile, reached his first Grand Slam final after a breakthrough run and pushed the match into a deciding set following a fourth-set tie-break win, but was ultimately unable to overturn the early deficit in the fifth.

The opening set was heavily one-sided, with Zverev immediately imposing himself through return pressure and early baseline control. Cobolli struggled to find rhythm in his service games, including a double fault in the opening game that contributed to an early break. Zverev repeatedly attacked second-serve situations and dictated from the back of the court, closing out the set 6-1 in a rapid opening phase.

Cobolli responded in the second set by increasing first-serve accuracy and extending rally patterns, which reduced Zverev’s ability to step inside the baseline on return games. The Italian began to hold serve with greater stability and forced longer exchanges, shifting the balance of the set. That adjustment proved enough to take the set 6-4 and restore parity in the match after the one-sided opener.

The third set became more balanced structurally, with both players holding serve through extended baseline exchanges and fewer immediate break opportunities. Zverev’s edge came from marginal gains on second-serve return points and slightly higher efficiency in key service games, particularly in late-set situations. He closed the set 6-4, re-establishing a one-set lead without breaking the overall equilibrium of the match.

The fourth set produced the most fragmented phase of the match, with multiple shifts in control and repeated breaks from both players. Cobolli struck first, taking an early break and briefly appearing to stabilise the set on serve, but Zverev responded through increased return depth and pressure on second serves to immediately re-enter the contest.

From there, the set developed into a sequence of exchanged service breaks, with neither player able to consolidate long enough to create separation. Cobolli managed to position himself to serve for the set at 5-3, but Zverev broke back once again, forcing a tie-break after a prolonged stretch of high-pressure service games on both sides. Cobolli ultimately edged the tie-break to level the match at two sets all, extending the final into a deciding fifth set.

The fifth set was effectively decided in its opening phase. Zverev created sustained pressure in a long opening game, generating multiple break points before eventually converting after Cobolli resisted several opportunities but failed to hold serve. That early break established immediate scoreboard separation in a set where margins were minimal but increasingly decisive.

Zverev consolidated the break with a composed service hold, including a break point save, and extended the lead to 4-0 as Cobolli struggled to recover from the early deficit. Although Cobolli managed to hold serve at 4-1, he was unable to generate consistent return pressure or force break-point opportunities against Zverev’s improved first-serve efficiency in the decider.

The German maintained control through service games in the closing stages, managing tempo and reducing risk in baseline exchanges. Cobolli’s level stabilised enough to remain competitive in isolated games, but the structural gap created by the early break proved decisive. Zverev closed out the match to secure his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros after three previous final defeats.

Zverev completes his breakthrough at major level with the 2026 Roland Garros title, while Cobolli exits after a first Grand Slam final run that included a four-set comeback and a fifth-set appearance against the new champion.