Alexander Zverev is in the final of the French Open at Roland Garros on Sunday
Alexander Zverev faces off against good friend Flavio Cobolli in the final of the French Open on Sunday.
The German has never won a Grand Slam – having been a three-time losing finalist – but has an incredible chance of ending that record when he takes on 10th seed Cobolli.
With two-time reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz out injured, many predicted that Roland Garros would be a procession for Coboli’s compatriot Jannik Sinner.
But the world number one lost in the second round to Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo before veteran Novak Djokovic also exited the tournament early.
Zverev is seen as the firm favourite in Paris this afternoon.
“He’s just a nice person. He has a good heart. He is extremely funny if you get to know him,” he said of the Italian.
“Of course, it’s his first final, so I’m happy for him that he reached it. But the only thing I can control is that I play good tennis.”
Cobolli, like Zverev, has lost just two sets in the tournament and it remains to be seen whether his unexpected day off will work in his favour.
“Maybe to have almost four days off is a lot, you lose the rhythm,” he said.
“I think I will be ready, for sure, but I also know I will be fresh. Maybe it helped, maybe not. I’ll tell you after the final.”
Zverev, who has a reported net worth of $14million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, is seen as a controversial figure in tennis after allegations of domestic abuse emerged six years ago.
He was accused of violence by his former partner Olya Sharypova in 2020 and domestic abuse in 2023 by Brenda Patea, with who he shares a child.
Zverev denied the allegations against Sharypova, calling them “unfounded”. She did not press charges against the German and an ATP investigation found there was “insufficient evidence” to substantiate the claims.
In 2023, the sportsman was given a penalty order and fined by a German court after being accused of physically abusing Patea.
He denied the claims and objected to the order which resulted in a trial. A settlement was reached in June 2024 between Zverev and Patea and the trial was discontinued.
He was heckled at the Australian Open when he faced Sinner last year; when he was about to make his runner-up speech, a woman in the crowd shouted: “Australia believes Olya and Brenda,” three times.
In his press conference afterwards, he said: “I believe there are no more accusations. There haven’t been for, what, nine months now. Good for her. I think she was the only one in the stadium who believed anything in that moment. If that’s the case, good for her. I think I’ve done everything I can, and I’m not about to open that subject again.”
Zverev is now dating German model, actress and TV presenter Sophia Thomalla.
“I think for tennis players it is always very important who you have next to you. Sophia is someone who gives me peace and security,” Zverev told Tennis Magazin in December 2021.
“I play extremely well with her behind me and I hope that will continue to be the case next year and maybe even better. I haven’t achieved all of my goals yet.”
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