Years of pent-up emotions came flooding out of Alexander Zverev when he finally won the French Open

PARIS (AP) — It all came rushing back to Alexander Zverev when he was lying on his back on the French Open's center court, his hands covering his face, and sobbing on Sunday as he realized that he had — finally — become a Grand Slam champion.

It was the same court where he twisted his right ankle and crumpled to the ground, wailing in agony before being pushed off on a wheelchair during a semifinal match against Rafael Nadal in 2022.

The same court where he wasted a lead of two sets to one against Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 championship match.

“All the emotions came out, because this court is very, very special to me. It’s special in a very positive way, but also special on the negative way, because I had some of the toughest moments of my life here," Zverev said.

"I was laying on this court with an injury that I didn’t know if I would ever come back from. I lost a Grand Slam final here, so all of those memories for me, they’re not wiped out. They're still with me, but this one will beat all of them.”

After so many missed opportunities, Zverev is no longer one of the best players never to win a major title.

In his fourth major final, Zverev beat Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 for the French Open title.

It was a unique opportunity for Zverev without Jannik Sinner or Alcaraz across the net and the third-ranked German took full advantage on the red clay of Roland Garros.

When Cobolli missed an overhead on the second championship point after more than four hours of the five-set encounter, Zverev joined an elite group of players that captured their first major in their fourth final: Eight-time major champion Andre Agassi, 2001 Wimbledon winner Goran Ivanisevic and 2020 U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem.

Then when Zverev finally got his hands on the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy, he turned it upside down, held it between his legs and then hoisted it above his head with both arms as he let out a loud roar.

“This trophy for me is very important because if I would have lost this one, this self-belief would have gone down a lot,” Zverev said. “But now that I’ve won it, I feel like I can do it again.”

Zverev had been an overwhelming favorite for the title ever since the top-ranked Sinner struggled in the first week’s heat wave and wasted a two set and 5-1 lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round. A day later, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic was also eliminated.

Alcaraz, the two-time reigning champion, withdrew before the tournament with an injured right wrist.

Zverev also lost a lead of two sets to none in the 2020 U.S. Open final to Thiem and was beaten in straight sets by Sinner in the 2025 Australian Open final.

It was the 25th title of Zverev’s career.

The 14th-ranked Cobolli had never been past a Grand Slam quarterfinal until this week. He was attempting to become the first Italian man to raise the singles trophy at Roland Garros since Adriano Panatta 50 years ago.

Cobolli comes from the same tennis club in Rome as Panatta did and Panatta was asked by tournament organizers to present the trophy to celebrate the anniversary of his 1976 triumph.

The honors, however, went to Zverev.

Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva won the women’s singles trophy on Saturday.

The match was played in perfect conditions and Zverev’s game was almost flawless at the start as Cobolli appeared nervous.

A group of women in the stands held up letters to form Zverev’s nickname: “Sascha.”

Cobolli likes to stand way over near the corner of the court and hit big kick serves out wide into the ad court. Zverev knew what was coming and returned one such kick serve early in the first set with a backhand that he wrapped around the outside of the net post. Cobolli ended up winning the point, but it was a message from Zverev that he knew how to handle his opponent’s tactics.

The next time Zverev hit a wrap-around-the-net-post return, Cobolli couldn’t handle it and Zverev won the point.

Cobolli’s supporters in his box were all dressed in blue, the color of Italy’s national teams, and as Cobolli worked his way back into the match, there were chants of “Ole, Ole, Ole; Flavio, Flavio.”

Both players were treated by a trainer as the match wore on and Cobolli appeared to run out of energy in the fifth.

“He deserved it more than me at the end of the match,” Cobolli said, adding that he was slowed by cramps.

Zverev said his cramps "were more mental.

“I actually think that the cramp helped me in a way, that I let go, I kind of hit my shots a bit more and just let go,” he added.

Moments after Zverev’s previous Grand Slam final in Australia in 2025, a person in the stadium yelled out the names of two of his ex-girlfriends who accused him of physical abuse.

One case was resolved following an agreement between German prosecutors, lawyers for Zverev and his former partner. The ATP Tour investigated another case and concluded there was insufficient evidence.

AP Sports Writers Samuel Petrequin and Jerome Pugmire contributed to this report.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates after winning the men's final match against Flavio Cobolli of Italy at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Alexander Zverev of Germany lifts the trophy after winning the men's final match against Flavio Cobolli of Italy at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Germany's Alexander Zverev reacts after winning the final tennis match against Italy's Flavio Cobolli at the French Open in Paris, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)

Alexander Zverev of Germany reacts after winning the men's final match against Flavio Cobolli of Italy at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Alexander Zverev of Germany lifts the trophy after winning the men's final match against Flavio Cobolli of Italy at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Second placed Flavio Cobolli of Italy, left, greets winner Alexander Zverev of Germany after their men's final match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Alexander Zverev of Germany hugs the trophy after winning the men's final match against Flavio Cobolli of Italy at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates after winning the men's final match against Flavio Cobolli of Italy at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates after winning the men's final match against Flavio Cobolli of Italy at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Alexander Zverev of Germany reacts after winning the men's final match against Flavio Cobolli of Italy at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Fans of Alexander Zverev of Germany support him before the men's final match against Flavio Cobolli of Italy at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Alexander Zverev of Germany returns to Flavio Cobolli of Italy during their men's final match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Italy's Flavio Cobolli reacts during the final tennis match against Germany's Alexander Zverev at the French Open in Paris, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)

Germany's Alexander Zverev returns during the final tennis match against Italy's Flavio Cobolli at the French Open in Paris, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Alexander Zverev of Germany reacts as he plays against Flavio Cobolli of Italy during their men's final match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Italy's Flavio Cobolli returns to Zachary Svajda of the United States during the fourth-round tennis match at the French Open in Paris, Monday, June 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Italy's Flavio Cobolli reacts after winning the quarterfinal tennis match against Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime at the French Open in Paris, Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Germany's Alexander Zverev serves to Czech Republic's Jakub Mensik during the semifinal tennis match at the French Open in Paris, Friday, June 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Germany's Alexander Zverev returns to Czech Republic's Jakub Mensik during the semifinal tennis match at the French Open in Paris, Friday, June 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

BEDFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 19, 2026--

Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. (“FRACTAL”) today disclosed a patented and patent-pending Mesh-to-Gateway, or “M2G”, architecture for unlicensed Part 15 wireless networks with D2D/LEO satellites. This proposed satellite network enables ubiquitous connectivity for sensors, machine control, fleet management, IoT, robotics, and other Part 15 devices.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260819016778/en/

Nathan Cohen, CEO of the firm, notes: “Unlicensed Part 15 devices have been wildly successful, and yet they can fail at the same time. Too many devices create wireless traffic jams, while remote devices require expensive link access. M2G solves this by fusing two wireless ecosystems that have until now been largely separate: Part 15 and D2D satellite connectivity.”

On August 6, 2026, the FCC adopted an NPRM, ET Docket No. 26-169, proposing Earth-to-space satellite use in the 2400–2483.5 MHz and 5725–5850 MHz Part 15 bands. Significantly, the proposed uplink allocation does not include the 902–928 MHz Part 15 band. The Commission cites recent waiver-based 2.4 GHz operations as a precedent and states that streamlined rules could facilitate systems of that type.

That precedent, however, points to different network architectures. One firm’s broader commercial model emphasizes direct satellite reception of low-power Bluetooth-class transmissions. For FRACTAL, instead of connecting millions of individual Part 15 devices directly to satellites, M2G makes the existing Part 15 mesh satellite-capable through hardware-modest selected gateways, while allowing isolated assets to go direct-to-satellite. FRACTAL’s M2G does not require every endpoint to close a link to orbit: ordinary devices remain in the local Part 15 mesh, while selected Part 15 gateways aggregate traffic and make the D2D/LEO connection.

The FCC’s omission of 900 MHz from its proposed satellite-uplink bands highlights a central M2G advantage rather than a limitation. A 900 MHz sensor or control device can remain entirely on the terrestrial mesh, and its data relayed at 2.4 and/or 5.8 GHz for the orbital connection. M2G therefore does not impose a fixed frequency division between ground and space. The terrestrial and satellite links can be optimized independently for frequency, antenna pattern, power, traffic load, and geometry. In addition, isolated 2.4 and 5.8 GHz Part 15 devices could link directly to satellite. This gives M2G a central advantage: it extends satellite connectivity across existing Part 15 networks without requiring every device to link to orbit, reducing terrestrial congestion and the number of independent satellite links the constellation must serve.

An important part of the invention is the use of unique, low-profile gateway antennas covering 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.8 GHz Part 15 bands for terrestrial/mesh operation, with 2.4 and/or 5.8 GHz also available for a separate high-elevation satellite function under the proposed FCC framework. Terrestrial coverage is principally azimuthal, while the satellite link preferentially uses high-elevation geometry, placing the two links in substantially different spatial domains. This spatial separation deters interference that might otherwise hamper terrestrial Part 15 operation and other services.

At the satellite end, M2G uses its proprietary deployable Aperture Engine: an antenna-based satellite with “something extra”: solar power harvesting and electronics incorporated into the same surface stack as the antenna. First disclosed by Cohen in 1998, the patented and patent-pending Aperture Engines have since become an important design approach. These satellites are smaller than other proposed D2D satellites, low power, lightweight, high antenna gain, and collapsible for launch. They are designed for Part 25 authorization. Costs are projected to be substantially lower compared with conventional satellite constellation networks.

Because gateways are selected rather than ubiquitous, M2G concentrates the demanding orbital-link function in nodes that can be equipped for the skyward link. Traffic can be selected and aggregated before satellite transport, and the gateway can preferentially use the favorable high-elevation portion of a LEO pass. This avoids imposing satellite link-budget and sky-view requirements on every low-cost endpoint and reduces the number of independent orbital links the constellation must serve.

M2G extends Part 15 from a local wireless technology into a wide-area, potentially global communications platform. For transportation and asset monitoring, vehicles, equipment, and cargo can remain connected in network-barren areas. For IoT, inexpensive sensors can now report from locations far beyond the reach of their local wireless network. For robotics, robotic groups can operate beyond cellular coverage while retaining local machine-to-machine communications. For farming, sensors and equipment can be spread across large or remote areas without needing terrestrial communications infrastructure at every location.

The firm is presently developing M2G gateway hardware and satellite integration in anticipation of an FCC regulatory framework permitting such operations. M2G space testing is targeted for 2028 and after, subject to FCC authorization.

ABOUT FRACTAL: Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. (“FRACTAL”), based in Bedford, Massachusetts, creates and sells advanced antenna, metamaterial, electromagnetic, and communications technologies and products for commercial, telecom, wireless, aerospace, public-safety, and defense applications. FRACTAL has been working at the antenna/satellite interface for over a decade, with patented and patent pending technologies spanning satellite antennas and arrays, spacecraft, and ground communications systems.

Caption Figure 2: Artist’s rendition of M2G constellation in deploying process. When unfolded (about two feet across) LEO Aperture Engine satellites can form a constellation for coverage of ground-based Part 15 devices.

Caption Figure 1: FRACTAL’s M2G architecture keeps most Part 15 traffic within the terrestrial mesh while selected gateways provide high-elevation links to D2D/LEO satellites, extending connectivity while reducing terrestrial interference. Under the FCC’s August 2026 NPRM, 2.4 and 5.8 GHz may support Earth-to-space operation while continuing to serve terrestrial Part 15 networks; 900 MHz remains available for terrestrial mesh operation.