Alexander Zverev walks onto the court for the 2026 French Open final today, with many considering him the clear favorite. The world No. 3 needs this win to add the first major championship to his trophy cabinet. But there is a strange and frustrating losing pattern for the German star, and former pro Boris Becker made sure to point out this odd statistic to the world just before Sunday’s big match.
Boris Becker Points Out Alexander Zverev’s Strange Italian Record Involving Jannik Sinner Before French Open Final
Zverev had a very wide-open draw at Roland Garros this time, after Carlos Alcaraz withdrew due to injury, and Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic were knocked out early. Now, for the last battle, standing in his way is Flavio Cobolli, an Italian.
On TNT Sports ahead of the highly anticipated final on Court Philippe-Chatrier, tennis analysts including Sloane Stephens, Caroline Wozniacki, and Sam Querrey were discussing the German’s chances.
Becker, a six-time Grand Slam champion, called it a golden opportunity for him but couldn’t help but point out an interesting trend in his compatriot’s recent losing record.
“Can I give you a little history? You know, it’s been 50 years since an Italian won here,” Becker shared during the broadcast. “And Sascha, his last six losses have been against Italians. Yes. I didn’t want to share it, but I had to.”
Over the past year, Sinner has evolved into Zverev’s major hurdle. He has also lost to Alcaraz, including at the Australian Open this year, but the world No. 1 notably defeated Zverev at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, and Madrid. In Munich, he lost to Cobolli in the semifinals, and in Rome, Luciano Darderi beat the German.
However, four out of six times, it was arguably the best player in the sport who beat him. “I’m just glad it’s a lot of Jannik Sinner. I was going to say glad the guy is not called Sinner tomorrow, but he’s still Italian,” Becker added.
The last time an Italian won a French Open was in 1976, when Adriano Panatta defeated America’s Harold Solomon in the final. So, for Cobolli, that would be a record he intends to break.
MORE: Alexander Zverev vs Flavio Cobolli Final Preview: Head-to-Head, Prediction for French Open 2026
Be it an “Italian curse,” bad luck, or simply the game, Zverev is not bothered about being called the favorite. He said while he looks forward to playing Cobolli in the final, he knows the only thing he can control is playing good tennis.
Sunday’s men’s singles final will begin after 3:00 p.m. local time (CEST) and 9 a.m. ET.
