Zverev and Cobolli play for a first Grand Slam title
Alexander Zverev and Flavio Cobolli meet in the French Open men's final on Court Philippe-Chatrier, both chasing a first Grand Slam title.
- The 2026 French Open will crown a new champion, as Alexander Zverev and Flavio Cobolli meet in the men's final.
- The match is scheduled for no earlier than 3 pm local time on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
- Zverev, the third seed, has a 0-3 record in Grand Slam finals so far, while Cobolli is in his first major final.
- Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz withdrew before the tournament with a wrist injury.
Roland Garros will certainly have a new champion this year. In the men’s final on the Paris clay, Germany’s Alexander Zverev meets Italy’s Flavio Cobolli, two players who for the first time have the chance to win a Grand Slam title. The match closes the tournament and is scheduled for no earlier than 3 pm local time, on the central Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Zverev enters the final as the third seed and the Tokyo Olympic champion, a player who has been at the top for years but for whom a major title still slips away. In his Grand Slam finals so far he has a 0-3 record, so this is a fresh chance to finally break through and claim his first trophy on the biggest stage.
On the other side of the net is Flavio Cobolli, the tenth seed, for whom reaching the final is already the greatest achievement of his career. The Italian had never previously passed the third round at Roland Garros, so his run to the final is a pleasant surprise of the tournament. In their head to head Zverev leads 3-1, but a Grand Slam final carries its own pressure that can level the odds.
Why is the final open to both players?
Although Zverev is the favourite on experience and ranking, his negative record in finals shows that the pressure of a big match can be decisive. Cobolli, with nothing to lose, can play freely and aggressively, which on slow clay is often a recipe for an upset. The absence of defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who pulled out with a wrist injury, further opened up the top half of the draw and made room for new finalists.
For Zverev this may be his best chance to break the curse of big finals, since he faces a first time major finalist with experience on his side. For Cobolli, every game in the final is pure profit and a chance to show he belongs at the very top.
What does victory mean for their careers?
Whoever lifts the trophy will record a historic success. Zverev would finally get confirmation that he can win the biggest tournaments, while Cobolli would jump from near anonymity on the Grand Slam stage into the company of big names. The Paris final thus carries two completely different stories, but the same prize, a first Grand Slam title.
Who do you favour in the French Open final, the experienced Zverev or the in form Cobolli?
