Alexander Zverev is putting his painful past behind him and making the French Open his happy place

If you are an avid tennis follower and a fan of Alexander Zverev, you probably remember that difficult moment at the French Open 2022. In the semifinals against Rafael Nadal, Zverev suffered one of the most serious injuries of his career. He landed awkwardly on his ankle and immediately collapsed, unable to get up. He remained on the court in visible pain before being taken off in a wheelchair and later seen on crutches.

The injury forced him to give up the match, allowing Nadal to advance to the final. He later underwent surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right ankle. While the physical recovery was challenging, the emotional weight of the march stayed with him. Two years later in 2024, he returned to Roland Garros with renewed hope, but his dream run was stopped only in the final by Carlos Alcaraz.

But when fate finally turns, it often brings rewards you never expected. On Sunday, that moment came as Zverev put past pain behind him and rose to claim his first French Open titlea triumph that felt like long-awaited redemption at Roland Garros.

BEST AND WORST MOMENTS

The French Open has shown over the years that Zverev is particularly comfortable on clay. He has reached the semifinals or better five times at Roland Garros, the most consistent Grand Slam record of his career. It is a place that has brought both the highest highs and the most difficult lows of his journey.

His victory on Sunday did not come easily as he battled for over four hours before finally securing victory. It reflected the level of hard work, perseverance and mental strength needed to stay composed even when things don’t go his way.

After his victory against Flavio Cobolli, Zverev reflected on the difficult stages he has endured and the challenges which shaped his path back to success.

“This court is so special to me in so many ways. I’ve had the best moments of my life on these courts. I’ve had the worst moments of my life on these courts. I played there four years ago on that corner with seven broken ligaments and two broken bones,” Zverev said in an on-court interview.

“Two years ago I lost a Grand Slam final here. But now it’s finally a happy ending. Thank you very much to the audience. I really felt that the crowd pushed me for two weeks. Without you, I definitely wouldn’t have won the tournament. Thank you very much,” added Zverev.

PROCESSING PATIENCE

If patience has a definition in sports, then Zverev may well embody it. He played 125 Grand Slam matches before finally winning his first major title, the longest he had to wait in the Open Era. The previous record for most matches before a first Grand Slam was held by Goran Ivanisevic, who won Wimbledon in 2001 after 105 matches. Another notable example is Andy Murray, who also passed the 100-match mark before breaking through.

For most of his career, Zverev has been a classic case of ‘so close, yet so far’. Often referred to as the best player never to win a Grand Slam, he carried that narrative for years after making his Grand Slam main draw debut in 2015. It took him 11 years to finally add a major title to his resume. Germany’s Alexander Zverev poses for a photo with the trophy alongside dogs, his brother Mischa Zverev and parents Alexander Zverev Sr. and Irina Zverev (Reuters Photo)

His triumph also marked a historic moment for German tennis as he became the first German since Boris Becker to win a Grand Slam title in 1996. In an era dominated by the likes of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, few expected Zverev to win a major. But with Sinner crashing out early on and Alcaraz missing through injury, the opportunities came and he made the most of his moment when it finally came.

MORE CHANCES AWAIT

Now that the French Open is in the past, Zverev has finally ticked off the biggest milestone of his career, his first Grand Slam title. Now a new chapter begins and we face the challenge of proving that his triumph at Roland Garros was not a one-off success.

Next up is Wimbledon, the tournament that has historically tested him the most. In nine appearances there, Zverev has never advanced past the quarterfinals and it is the only Grand Slam where he has not reached the semifinals. It is the stage when his game is not yet fully clicked.

After his French Open win, Zverev paid an emotional tribute to his team, saying they were no longer “losers” but Grand Slam champions. With the likes of Alcaraz missing from the draw and Djokovic no longer at his dominant peak, Wimbledon presents another opportunity. For Zverev, this is a chance to establish himself not only as a champion, but as a consistent force that opponents must fear on any stage.

– The end

Published on:

08 Jun 2026 07:23 IST