Alexander Zverev recalls ‘seven broken ligaments and two fractured bones’ after Roland Garros win
Alexander Zverev said he had the best and worst moments of his life on this court after he won his first Grand Slam, defeating Flavio Cobolli in a five-set thriller at Roland Garros.
Despite the even scoreline, it was not a match full of high quality tennis with both players making a number of mistakes throughout and gifting their opponents crucial points in the match.
An opening set score of 6-1 had looked as if Zverev’s path to a first Grand Slam title would be a relatively easy one but Cobolli overcame nerves to win the second set 6-4.
Zverev then produced a comeback of his own, winning the third 6-4, and again pushing the momentum in his favour but Cobolli was able to force the fourth to a tie-break and eventually set up a fifth-set decider.
However, Zverev struck early by breaking his opponent in the very first game and it was not until the fifth game that Cobolli got off the mark.
The German would go on to win the fifth set 6-1 and take the final three sets to two.
It was the World No 3’s first final victory at the fourth time of asking having lost here in 2024, in Australia in 2025 and in the US in 2020.
Afterwards, Zverev recalled a horror injury he suffered in the 2022 semi final against Rafa Nadal.
“This court is so special to me in so many ways,” he said. “I’ve had the best moments of my life on this court. I had the worst moment of my life on these courts.
“I was laying in that corner over there four years ago with seven broken ligaments and two fractured bones.
“I lost a Grand Slam final here two years ago, but now finally it’s a happy end.”
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The win earned him 2,000 ranking points, but that will not allow him to climb above Carlos Alcaraz as he will remain in third place in the ATP Rankings.
Zverev also congratulated his beaten opponent, saying he hoped he would be holding a Grand Slam trophy “very soon.”
“I want to congratulate Flavio,” he said. “Unbelievable two weeks reaching your first Grand Slam final. Playing this way in your first Grand Slam final is incredible. Not many people do that, so congratulations to you, and really, from the bottom of my heart, I hope that you will hold one of these trophies very soon.”
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