Zverev: "Whatever happens, I will always be a Grand Slam champion and nobody can take that away from me"

Andrés Tomás Rico | 7 Jun 2026 | 23.14

Zverev: "Whatever happens, I will always be a Grand Slam champion and nobody can take that away from me." Photo: Gettyimages

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Alexander Zverev is now, with all the letters, a Grand Slam champion. After tough defeats in the finals of the US Open 2020, Roland Garros 2024, and Australian Open 2025, the German triumphs at Roland Garros 2026 in a very close final full of twists against Flavio Cobolli (6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1).

Indeed, in the press conference following his title, he spoke about the cramps he started to suffer in the fourth set, which ultimately helped him elevate his game and clinch the victory. He also talked about what his first Grand Slam means to him and whether it could be the first of many.

Alexander Zverev revealed his feelings after winning his first Grand Slam at Roland Garros 2026

"It was a mix of things. At first, I didn't believe I had won. Then I saw my team celebrating. That's when it hit me, especially seeing my father raising his arms, that's when it truly struck me: 'okay, I won'."

"When I was on the ground, all emotions came out because this court is very special to me, both positively and negatively, as I had some of the toughest moments of my life and tennis career here. I was lying on this court with an injury and didn't know if I would play again. I lost a Grand Slam final here. All those memories stay with me, but this victory overshadows them."

Zverev proudly reflects on his most significant title

"Success came very early for me in the Masters because I won one at 20 years old and then won many more Masters. So, I had that release at the Masters level quickly, but it took longer at a Grand Slam. Now, regardless of what happens, I will always be a Grand Slam champion, and no one can take that from me."

"That gives me a bit of freedom; maybe my mind will be calmer in a final, even if I lose, I will still be a Grand Slam champion. This trophy is very important to me because if I had lost, my confidence would have dropped significantly. But now that I won it, I feel like I can do it again."

Zverev admits he faced more "mental" cramps than physical ones

"I had cramps. I was experiencing some physical difficulty, although I don't think the cramps were truly physical, I think they were more mental. I was very tense, very emotional, and a bit unstable also in the fourth set. I actually believe the cramps helped me in a way; I think I relaxed a bit, started hitting my shots with more freedom, and just let it flow. And of course, the fifth set went in my favor, and I'm happy about that and for sitting next to this beautiful trophy for the first time."

Since last year's ATP Vienna, Zverev began playing his best tennis again

"I started playing very well again, I believe in Vienna last year. Before that, last year wasn't good for me, I didn't play well. I had many physical problems and issues with my tennis; I just wasn't playing well. This trophy, indeed, boosts confidence a lot. As you said, I was far from that point. I think last year was one of the toughest moments of my career in tennis. This year is one of the happiest moments of my career, and the feeling is very different now."

Capturing the moment 📸#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/s16pKDiryu
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2026

Zverev handled the pressure well after Sinner and Djokovic's exits

"I feel I managed the past two weeks very well, because with all the early losses, with Jannik and Novak out, I stayed focused and calm, and I feel I was playing very well. But today I didn't handle it as well, the match was more erratic, and I was more nervous, which is human. That's why I say the cramps helped me; my mind relaxed, I started hitting the ball more freely, more aggressively. All that, thanks to the cramps. I couldn't keep tense; I had to loosen up. That's why I played the fifth set as I did."

The serve has been a key weapon for Zverev's victory at Roland Garros 2026

"On clay, precision is even more crucial than speed, although my speed was quite high this week. It's a shot that helped me a lot during these two weeks. In the most crucial moments, I could rely on it to bail me out when I wasn't playing well from the baseline. It's definitely a shot I've had trouble with; I lost the US Open 2020 final because of it. I spent many hours working on it, and I'm happy it helped me win this trophy."

Zverev dedicates his first Roland Garros to his entire team

"As Mirra Andreeva says, I think in my case, it's a family and team effort. I've had the same team for 12 years, at least, with the same physical trainer, and the coaches even longer. I believe everyone deserves this trophy equally," emphasizes an Alexander Zverev who now breathes easier, finally seeing himself as a Grand Slam champion."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Zverev: "Pase lo que pase, siempre seré campeón de Grand Slam y eso nadie me lo puede quitar"

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