Tennis

Roland Garros goes to Zverev, Cobolli does not break the taboo

The Italian tennis player lost to the German world number 3 3 sets to 2 (1-6, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6, 1-6)

by Marco Bellinazzo

7 June 2026

Alexander Zverev dopo la vittoria al quinto seto contro Flavio Cobolli REUTERS/Benoit Tessier REUTERS

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

In the final of Roland Garros 2026, on the red clay of the Court Philippe-Chatrier, Flavio Cobolli failed to break the taboo of the Parisian Major for Italian tennis and lost to German Alexander Zverev, world number 3, 3 sets to 2 (1-6, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6, 1-6). The last victory for Adriano Panatta, who was present in the stands, dates back to 1976.

The match is intense and exciting as befits the final act of a Slam. It takes three and a half hours for the first four sets with Cobolli and Zverev sharing. While the last one is resolved in about forty minutes and allows Zverev, at almost 30 years old and after a long career at the top of world tennis, to win his first Slam title (in his fourth final played).

At the dawn of the match Zverev got off to a strong start and immediately set the pace with his serve and deep strokes. He quickly obtained multiple breaks, taking advantage of a very tense and foul Cobolli. The Italia tennis player committed many free errors, especially with his backhand, and stayed away from the baseline. Zverev makes use of his greater experience at certain levels, controls without difficulty and closes the set 6-1 in just over half an hour, giving the impression of a one-sided match.

Flavio Cobolli durante la finale. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Zverev's technical and mental superiority fortunately failed in the second set, when Cobolli managed to change the inertia, improving on his serve and in the long exchanges. The turning point came towards the middle of the set with the first break of the match in favour of the Italian, in a game characterised by two double faults by the German, who began to show nervousness and lost brilliance.

Cobolli grew in confidence and aggressiveness, managed the lead, consolidated the break, and in the final games withstood the pressure, closing the set 6-4, bringing the match to a draw.

The third set held on a substantial balance with both tennis players solid on serve. The score was tied until 4-4. Cobolli saved break points several times, even from 15-40, showing great character. On 4-5, however, the Italian suddenly dropped and committed some consecutive errors. Zverev thanked him, took advantage of the opportunity and won the break for the decisive 6-4.

The shout from the Atp number three seemed the prologue to a ride in the next set. Instead, Zverev evidently relaxed too much, committing two more double faults almost in series, leaving the break to Cobolli. A breath of fresh air for the Italian, who consolidated his lead at 2-0 and then went up to 3-2, but with a double fault and two free errors in the sixth game he in turn gave up his service to the German.

In the seventh game the situation was reversed. Cobolli surprised Zverev at the net with a long pass from the back of the court and won a break, which was realised on the next ball, again with an error at the net by the German.

The Italian then took advantage of a series of backhand inaccuracies by Zverev to make it 5-3, going on to serve to stay in the match at 5-4. But Zverev, who also appeared to be struggling physically, hit three winners in the corner to make it 5-5. It went arm in arm at 6-6 to the tie-break.

Zverev won 27 at Roland Garros and lost 3. Cobolli started well by grabbing the first point with a passer but then made a free error and was condemned by a deflection of the tape that took the ball out, ending up 2-1 down. It turned to 3-3, while the Parisian stadium was almost all for Flavio, who courageously found the 4-3 point with a forehand in the corner. Zverev commits another double fault. Cobolli won two set points with a short ball. In the next point it seemed to be done, but at net Cobolli clumsily missed a smash. But he redeemed himself immediately afterwards with a forehand from the back of the net that left his opponent on the spot and won the fourth set at three and a half hours of play.

Cobolli left the court to change, but on his return he came back with too much pressure on him and had his serve broken twice in succession. Zverev took a 4-0 lead and suddenly seemed to be back to full fitness. Unlike Cobolli who instead begins to lose energy, even fighting with the corner. He calls a break with the physiotherapist.

The set slipped faster than the others with the German increasingly in control, conceding just one game to a battling but drained Cobolli. The match thus ended 6-1, exactly like the first, with yet another smash thrown to the wind by Cobolli, who nonetheless brought home an important result, namely his first Slam final and number 10 in the Atp ranking, the seventh Italian in history to do so.