Alexander Zverev won his first grand slam at the French Open, emerging from one of the most chaotic men's tournaments in recent history.
The German second seed defeated Flavio Cobolli in the final, facing only one top-20 opponent throughout the event.
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The tournament was marked by early exits of top players.
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz was absent due to injury, while Jannik Sinner lost in the second round after a physical collapse.
Sinner led Juan Manuel Cerúndolo 6-3, 6-2, 5-1 before losing 18 of the next 20 games.
Four of the top 12 seeds—Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Bublik, and Jiri Lehecka—were eliminated early.
Ben Shelton, the fifth seed, also exited early. Novak Djokovic, at 39, led 19-year-old João Fonseca by two sets but lost in five.
The tournament saw several five-set thrillers, including a five-hour-58-minute match where Cerúndolo beat Martin Landaluce.
Matteo Berrettini retired from his quarterfinal, and Matteo Arnaldi withdrew before his semifinal due to a virus.
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Injuries and Absences
Many top players missed the event due to injuries.
Arthur Fils, a 21-year-old Frenchman, was sidelined with a hip injury after strong performances in Barcelona, Miami, and Madrid.
Lorenzo Musetti, a clay-court contender, has been frequently injured since retiring from a semifinal last year.
Jack Draper, 24, has struggled with health issues, and Holger Rune, 23, is still out with a torn achilles tendon.
Alcaraz's recovery from a wrist injury remains uncertain. The absences highlight a lack of depth behind Alcaraz and Sinner.
Félix Auger-Aliassime, after a quarterfinal loss to Cobolli, expressed frustration. “I’m destroyed today a little bit,” he said.
“I feel as if I’m not the player I want to be.”
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With Wimbledon approaching, Sinner will likely be the favorite if fully recovered. But if he falters again, the door could open for others in another unpredictable major.
