Zverev Makes Strong Start in Roland Garros 2026 Final Against Kobolli. In the Roland Garros 2026 final, Alexander Zverev took the first set against Flavio Kobolli. The German is dominating the court and is close to his first Grand Slam title. The Italian has yet to put up a real fight.
The Roland Garros 2026 final has begun on the central Philippe Chatrier court in Paris, where Alexander Zverev and Flavio Cobolli are competing for their first Grand Slam title. In the opening set, the German tennis player showed clear dominance, winning 6:1. His powerful serve and consistent backhand left Cobolli with no chance for an even contest at the start of the match.
This is Zverev's fourth attempt to claim tennis’ top trophy. Previously, he lost in the finals of the 2020 US Open, Roland Garros 2024, and the 2025 Australian Open. Despite his successes at Masters 1000 tournaments, an Olympic victory in Tokyo, and two ATP Finals titles, the Grand Slam title remains the missing link in his collection.
Flavio Cobolli, a 24-year-old native of Florence, has been one of the revelations of the tournament. In recent years, Italian youth have been making a name for themselves on the world stage, and Cobolli is a striking representative of this wave. However, in the final, he has so far struggled with nerves: he lost several crucial points due to serve errors and uncertainty in decisive moments.
Zverev leads Cobolli 3:1 in head-to-head matches. Last year, he already defeated the Italian at Roland Garros, and was also stronger on grass in Halle and on clay in Madrid. All of these matches ended in favor of the German, confirming his status as the favorite in the current final as well.
The atmosphere at the stadium is tense: the stands are packed to capacity, with members of the tennis elite and officials among the spectators. After yesterday's rain, the court conditions remain challenging, but the sun occasionally breaks through the clouds, and a light breeze does not interfere with the game. Organizers note that interest in this year's Roland Garros final is especially high, fueled in part by the success of young Italian players in the tournament.
Interest in the Roland Garros final is further heightened by the fact that, in recent years, new names have been making appearances at major tournaments more and more often. As russpain.com notes, this generational shift is also visible in other competitions. For example, Pablo Carreño Busta recently returned to contention at Roland Garros after a long break.
For reference: Roland Garros is the second Grand Slam tournament of the season, held on clay courts in Paris. A victory here is considered one of the most prestigious achievements in tennis. If successful, Zverev will become the first German men’s champion at Roland Garros in decades. Despite a poor start, Cobolli still has a chance to turn the match around, but he will need to overcome the psychological pressure and challenge the favorite.
