At long last, Alexander Zverev wins 2026 French Open

After three previous attempts from 2020, 2024, and 2025, Alexander Zverev wins a Grand Slam final and becomes the 2026 French Open champion.

Considered one of the best tennis players ever to not win a Grand Slam, Zverev will be happy to be removed from that list and conversation.

Flavio Cobolli, who had not played since Wednesday because of Matteo Arnaldi’s walkover in the semifinal, came out a little tentative but picked us his game after dropping the first set. The match was a roller coaster after that with Zverev winning in the fifth.

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Zverev emerges a relieved victor

After an injured Alcaraz announced he was not defending his Roland Garros title and Jannik Sinner surprisingly lost in the second round, all eyes have been on Zverev to get his maiden Grand Slam win.

Having to get it at the hands of an Italian is especially ironic since Zverev’s last six losses have come at the hands of Italians; four to Sinner, one to Luciano Darderi, and one to Cobolli this year in Madrid.

He dealt with physical issues in the midst of the fourth set but seemed to internalize advice from Rafael Nadal who told him to be brave when he trained at the Rafa Nadal Academy last year.

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He has been close before

No one really celebrated until match point because Zverev has had leads in other Grand Slam finals and ended up on the losing end.

He was able to keep his frame of mind in check and not let the scar tissue of previous Grand Slam finals interfere despite being points away during the fourth set tiebreaker.