Sports News

Zverev beats Cobolli in five sets to win the French Open, his first Grand Slam title

Alexander Zverev won the French Open on Sunday, 7 June, beating Italy's Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 for his first Grand Slam title. The AP report carried by NPR stations said it came in his fourth major final and that he “is no longer one of the best players never to win a major title.”

AP listed the earlier near misses: the 2020 US Open to Dominic Thiem after leading two sets to none, the 2024 French Open to Carlos Alcaraz after leading two sets to one, and the 2025 Australian Open to Jannik Sinner in straight sets. Cobolli had never been past a Grand Slam quarter-final before this event and was trying to become the first Italian man to win in Paris since Adriano Panatta 50 years ago.

Capital FM in Kenya called the 29-year-old German, the second seed, the winner of a tense final in which Cobolli forced a fifth set. It noted that Sinner went out early and Alcaraz was injured, which it described as “a golden opportunity for the rest of the field.” Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva won the women's title on Saturday, AP added.

How each outlet framed it

• NPR (AP) — the long wait: three painful finals and a first title at the fourth try.
• Capital FM — the draw: how Sinner's exit and Alcaraz's injury opened the door.

Where the numbers differ: Capital FM described Cobolli as the 10th seed, while AP called him the 14th-ranked Italian. Seeding and ranking are different measures.