DC Edit | Roller-coaster At Roland Garros
For two weeks, Roland Garros was a theatre of extremes. There was scorching heat, pouring rain, stunning upsets and emotional farewells
The 2026 French Open will be remembered as one of the most chaotic and unpredictable Grand Slams in recent memory. When the dust settled on the famous Parisian red clay, two first-time major champions took centre stage. Germany’s Alexander Zverev finally ended his long and agonising wait for a Grand Slam title, edging past Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in a five-set final. Nineteen-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva announced herself as the sport’s newest star, ending Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska’s fairytale run.
For two weeks, Roland Garros was a theatre of extremes. There was scorching heat, pouring rain, stunning upsets and emotional farewells. It delivered a roller-coaster ride and the unpredictability was best reflected in the final four of both the men’s and women’s draws, where not a single former Grand Slam champion remained in contention. There were 32 five-set matches across the fortnight.
Once world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, hampered by a bout of cramps, squandered a two-set lead and a 5-1 advantage against Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round, the tournament turned on its head. And then, Novak Djokovic was gone too. Suddenly, the spotlight shifted squarely onto Zverev.
Sunday’s final may not rank alongside the timeless French Open classics. It lacked the breathtaking quality of the Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner final a year ago and did not possess the epic drama of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’s rain-interrupted battle in 2012. Yet it carried something equally compelling: the weight of destiny.
Few players have endured more heartbreak in pursuit of a maiden major title. Three previous Grand Slam final defeats, injuries, missed opportunities and endless questions about whether he would ever clear the final hurdle in a major had haunted Zverev for years. After the match, Zverev pointed to two pivotal moments. A bout of cramping, which initially looked like a setback, helped shed ‘mental weight’ and forced him to play more aggressively. Later, a medical timeout taken by Cobolli allowed the German to regroup mentally before the decisive fifth set.
Zverev has also managed Type 1 diabetes throughout his professional career without ever making it a defining part of his public image or seeking sympathy for it. That same resilience was evident again in Paris.