BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
Alexander Zverev stands on the brink of the biggest achievement of his career as he prepares to face Flavio Cobolli in the French Open men’s final, a match that could finally deliver the Grand Slam title that has long eluded the German star.
For years, Zverev has been regarded as one of the most talented players of his generation, consistently ranked among the world’s best and a regular contender at major tournaments. Yet despite his success on the ATP Tour, Olympic gold medal and numerous deep runs at Grand Slam events, the sport’s most prestigious trophy has remained just out of reach.
Sunday’s championship match at Roland Garros offers what many view as his best opportunity yet to break through.
The third-ranked German enters the final as the favorite after a tournament filled with unexpected twists and early exits for some of the sport’s biggest names. Unlike previous Grand Slam finals, Zverev will not have to face either Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz, widely considered the dominant forces in men’s tennis.
Top-ranked Sinner appeared destined for a deep run before suffering a stunning collapse in the second round. After taking a two-set lead and moving within a handful of points of victory against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, the Italian saw his campaign unravel in dramatic fashion.
The tournament suffered another shock a day later when 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic exited the competition earlier than expected.
Meanwhile, defending champion Alcaraz never even took the court. The Spaniard, who had won the previous two French Open titles, withdrew before the tournament began because of a right wrist injury, leaving the men’s draw wide open.
With the leading contenders gone, attention quickly shifted to Zverev, who has navigated the tournament with impressive consistency. He has dropped only two sets on his way to the final and has looked increasingly comfortable on the Paris clay.
Yet the pressure surrounding the German remains immense because of his history in Grand Slam finals.
This will be the fourth major final of Zverev’s career. His previous appearances have ended in heartbreak, often after he appeared on the verge of victory.
At the 2020 U.S. Open, Zverev held a commanding two-set lead against Dominic Thiem before seeing the match slip away in five sets.
More disappointment followed at the 2024 French Open when he led Alcaraz by two sets to one before the Spaniard mounted a comeback to claim the title.
Earlier this year, Zverev reached the final of the Australian Open but was unable to challenge Sinner, who secured victory in straight sets.
Those painful defeats have added extra significance to Sunday’s showdown. At 29, Zverev understands that opportunities to win a Grand Slam are precious, and few finals are likely to offer a more favorable path than this one.
Standing across the net will be one of the tournament’s surprise stars.
Cobolli has enjoyed a remarkable breakthrough fortnight in Paris. Before this tournament, the Italian had never advanced beyond a Grand Slam quarterfinal. Now he finds himself one victory away from achieving one of the most significant accomplishments in Italian tennis history.
The 14th-seeded Italian has displayed confidence, composure and aggressive shot-making throughout the tournament, defeating a series of higher-profile opponents to reach his first major final.
A victory would make Cobolli the first Italian man to win the French Open singles title since Adriano Panatta captured the championship in 1976.
The connection between the two players extends beyond nationality. Cobolli developed his game at the same tennis club in Rome where Panatta trained decades earlier, creating a compelling link between generations of Italian tennis.
To mark the 50th anniversary of Panatta’s historic triumph, tournament organizers have invited the former champion to participate in the trophy presentation ceremony. If Cobolli wins, Panatta could hand the Coupe des Mousquetaires directly to a fellow Italian who followed in his footsteps.
Cobolli’s rise has energized Italian tennis supporters, who have already witnessed major successes in recent years through players such as Sinner. Another Grand Slam champion would further cement Italy’s status as one of the sport’s rising powers.
The statistics suggest the final could be highly competitive.
Both players have lost only two sets throughout the tournament and have demonstrated impressive resilience under pressure. Their recent head-to-head record also points to a closely contested battle.
Zverev has won three of their four career meetings, including a straight-sets victory over Cobolli in the third round of last year’s French Open.
However, the Italian has shown significant improvement since then. The pair split their two clay-court meetings earlier this season, with Cobolli winning convincingly in Munich before Zverev responded with a straight-sets victory in Madrid.
Those results suggest neither player holds a clear psychological advantage heading into the final.
For Zverev, the match represents a chance to finally remove the one glaring omission from an otherwise outstanding career. For Cobolli, it is an opportunity to complete one of the most remarkable breakthrough stories in recent French Open history.
When they step onto Court Philippe-Chatrier, both men will be pursuing a career-defining victory — one seeking redemption after years of near misses, the other aiming to crown an extraordinary rise with the biggest title in tennis.
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