Alexander Zverev (No. 3, Germany) ended his quest for a major title on his fourth attempt.
Zverev defeated Flavio Cobolli (No. 14, Italy) 3-2 (6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1) after a grueling 4-hour, 16-minute battle in the men's singles final on the final day of the 2026 French Open (total prize money of 61,723,000 euros) at Roland Garros in Paris on June 7.
With the win, Zverev finally stood atop a major tournament. He cleared away the pain of his runner-up finishes at the 2020 US Open, the 2024 French Open and the 2025 Australian Open. Zverev, who marked his 25th career title with a major, took home prize money of 2.8 million euros (about 5 billion won).
Zverev has particularly painful memories at the French Open. In the 2022 semifinals, he severely injured his right ankle while facing Rafael Nadal (retired, Spain) and was carried off in a wheelchair. In the 2024 final, he led Carlos Alcaraz (No. 2, Spain) by a set score of 2-1 but lost 2-3 in a comeback defeat.
This year, the mood was different. Alcaraz, who won the French Open in 2024 and 2025 in succession, withdrew before the tournament with a right wrist injury, while world No. 1 Jannik Sinner (Italy) and Novak Djokovic (No. 4, Serbia) were eliminated in the early rounds.
Zverev did not miss his chance. He pressured Cobolli with steady returns and strokes, easily taking the first set 6-1. Although he gave up the second set, he capitalized on Cobolli's unforced errors to take the lead again in the third set. After dropping the fourth set, Zverev built a 3-0 lead early in the fifth set and closed out the match without faltering, sealing the title 6-1.
After the match, Zverev lay down on the red clay court, covering his face with both hands, savoring a victory that came after a long wait.
"This court is really special to me. I've experienced the best moments and the worst moments of my life here," Zverev said. "Now, no matter what happens, I am a major champion."
