Flavio Cobolli doesn’t give up, final with Zverev is decided in the fifth set
The Roland Garros final continues to provide excitement and twists and turns. After dominating the first set and regaining the lead in the third, Alexander Zverev is forced to postpone the party. Flavio Cobolli, in fact, unleashed an extraordinary reaction in the fourth set, cancelled the German’s breakaway attempt and won at the tie-break, dragging the challenge to the fifth and decisive set.
The beginning of the match had told a very different story. In his first Slam final, Cobolli had inevitably felt the tension of the big date. Zverev had taken immediate advantage of this, snatching serve from the Italian already in the opening game and taking control of the exchanges. Solid from the baseline and precise in key moments, the German had dominated the first set to a clear 6-1.
The Roman’s response, however, had come in the second partial. More aggressive and convinced in his own means, Cobolli had significantly raised the level of his tennis, finding depth with his forehand and more continuity on serve. On 3-3 had come the decisive break that allowed him to close the set 6-4 and restore the balance. In the third set the match had remained extremely balanced until the decisive moment. At 4-4, in fact, Cobolli had committed a few too many errors, conceding the break to Zverev, who was then able to close out the partial set 6-4 and move back ahead in the score.
When the trophy seemed close to the hands of the world number two, the Italian found new energy. The fourth set opened with an immediate break by Cobolli, also favored by two double faults by the German. The Italian confirmed the lead by showing great aggressiveness under the net and a remarkable quality in the serves turns, taking it up to 5-3 and coming just one game away from dragging the match to the fifth.
Zverev, however, did not give up and at the most delicate moment found the 5-5 counterbreak, bringing everything back into balance and getting closer to victory again. Cobolli was not intimidated: he held serve to zero in the 12th game thanks also to a very heavy ace and dragged the set to the tie-break.
In the decisive game the Italian showed all his character. After a complicated start and an alternating lead on both sides, Cobolli regained aggressiveness and lucidity in the most important points. At 6-5 he squandered a first chance to close out the set, but at the second chance he did not tremble: a magnificent forehand pass overcame Zverev and handed the Italian the tie-break for 7-5. The final was thus completely reopened. After more than four hours of battle, Roland Garros will have to be awarded in the fifth set.
