The 2025 French Open at Roland Garros delivered another electrifying chapter as third seed Alexander Zverev, Germany’s tennis titan, stormed into the fourth round with a commanding 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-1 victory over Italy’s Flavio Cobolli on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The match, played under the Parisian sun on May 31, 2025, showcased Zverev’s relentless precision and mental fortitude, as he overcame a spirited challenge from the in-form Cobolli to secure his eighth consecutive second-week appearance at the clay-court Grand Slam. With this win, Zverev keeps his dream alive of capturing a maiden major title, a goal that has eluded him despite four straight Roland Garros semifinals and a runner-up finish in 2024.
Zverev, ranked world number three, entered the match as the heavy favorite, boasting a 14-6 clay-court record in 2025, including a title in Munich. His opponent, the 23-year-old Cobolli, ranked 26th, arrived in Paris riding a seven-match winning streak, fresh off a title in Hamburg where he defeated Andrey Rublev. “This place is special for me. I had my most beautiful but also the bitterest moment of my career here,” Zverev said, reflecting on his 2024 final loss to Carlos Alcaraz. The German wasted no time asserting dominance, breaking Cobolli twice in the first set to claim it 6-2 in just 39 minutes, his powerful serve—clocking an ace at 212 km/h—and deep groundstrokes overwhelming the Italian.
The second set saw Cobolli, who had dispatched Marin Čilić and Matteo Arnaldi in earlier rounds, find his rhythm. “Cobolli is on a high, having won Hamburg, so he’s got confidence,” noted a commentator before the match. The Italian broke Zverev twice, pushing the set to a tiebreak with aggressive forehands and a stunning long-line winner. Yet, Zverev’s composure shone through. “I stayed calm, and in the tiebreak, I was fully there,” he later remarked, recalling the moment he unleashed a primal scream after clinching the tiebreak 7-4. The third set was a masterclass, with Zverev breaking early and racing to a 6-1 finish, capitalizing on Cobolli’s 23 unforced errors compared to his own 12.
Cobolli, gracious in defeat, acknowledged Zverev’s prowess. “What a ride these past two weeks,” he posted on social media. “Lost yesterday against a great champion on a big stage. Thanks Alexander Zverev for the kind words.” The Italian’s breakthrough season, marked by titles in Bucharest and Hamburg, had raised expectations, but his 1-9 record against top-10 players underscored the challenge of facing Zverev, who converted 99 net points across his first three matches, winning 65. “Sascha, you have to play aggressive!” a fan urged online during the match, and Zverev delivered, landing 37 winners and an ace to seal his second match point.
Zverev’s victory sets up a fourth-round clash with Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, a rematch of their 2024 Roland Garros encounter where Zverev rallied from a 1-4 deficit in the fifth set. “It’s going to be a tough one,” Zverev said, wary of Griekspoor’s resilience. The German’s path to the title remains daunting, with a potential quarterfinal against Novak Djokovic looming. Despite bookmakers ranking him behind Alcaraz, Sinner, and Djokovic, with odds of 11.00 to win the tournament, Zverev’s consistency on clay—evidenced by his 77.5% service game win rate—makes him a formidable contender. “Zverev’s 28th win of the year, clearly in love with these courts,” a fan posted online, capturing the sentiment of his enduring connection to Roland Garros.
The match wasn’t without drama. Cobolli saved multiple match points, including one with a sliced serve at 176 km/h, but his final backhand error handed Zverev the victory after 2 hours and 30 minutes. “Too strong. Cobolli didn’t trouble Zverev, whose serve was on point,” observed a tennis analyst. As Zverev advances, his focus is clear: to erase the memory of last year’s final and claim the elusive Grand Slam crown. With his brother Mischa noting post-match that Zverev’s harder, deeper shots give him an edge, the tennis world awaits whether the 28-year-old can finally break through in Paris.
Leave a Reply