Cramps helped me shed mental weight, says Zverev

PARIS, June 7 : Cramping in the fourth set of the French Open final was the best thing that could have happened to Alexander Zverev on Sunday, freeing him from his mental struggles as he went on to secure his first Grand Slam title.

"With Jannik going out, Novak going out, I managed to stay composed. But then today I feel I didn't manage so well. I was nervous but it's also human," Zverev told a press conference after beating Italian Flavio Cobolli 6-1 4-6 6-4 6-7(5) 6-1.

The German second seed was the overwhelming favourite for the title after world number one Jannik Sinner was knocked out in the second round and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic exited the tournament in the third, leaving him under immense pressure to win after three defeats in major finals.

Zverev admitted the cramps stemmed from nervousness but they ended up being a blessing in disguise.

"The cramps helped me because in the end it helped my mind let go," he said. "That's why I played the fifth set the way I did."

After years of injuries, heartbreak and near-misses, Zverev finally stood on Court Philippe Chatrier as a Grand Slam champion and reflected on the long road that has led him to one of tennis's biggest prizes.

"We've been through so much through injuries, through heartbreak, through losses," an emotional Zverev told his team during the trophy ceremony.

"We've been losers at some moments, but we're Grand Slam champions now. That's what counts."

The German's triumph completed one of the sport's most arduous journeys to a major title.

Four years after leaving Roland Garros in a wheelchair with seven broken bones in his foot and two years after suffering the agony of being beaten in the Paris final by Carlos Alcaraz, Zverev finally claimed the