Ryan Harrison
Former French Open men's doubles champion on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Get back to basics for Flavio Cobolli. Try and completely forget that this is a Grand Slam final, but that is easier said than done.

Jim Courier
Former world number one on TNT Sports

The toughest thing for a nervous tennis player to do is to have touch. These guys are understandably tense out here in this opening salvo. Cobolli has great feel and you'll see it at some point today, but he'll need to settle in first.

Ryan Harrison
Former French Open men's doubles champion on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Alexander Zverev is very long with his reach. They are so far back behind the court and Zverev has such a long wingspan that he is able to find a way to get back in the point.

Image source, Getty Images

What was that? Flavio Cobolli clung in for an age in that game, but he completely mishits the ball, sending it into the sky.

Flavio Cobolli reaches the drop shot and has the whole court to aim for, but he goes for a drop shot of his own and Alexander Zverev punishes him for it. A fourth break point for the German.

Daniela Hantuchova
Former world number five on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Flavio Cobolli is playing with a few extra nerves in this service game, which is completely understandable.

Alexander Zverev looks tired too. It is not that flowing movement which we have seen throughout the tournament.

A third break point comes and goes for Alexander Zverev and we're back at deuce.

Alexander Zverev can't return a Flavio Cobolli forehand, but the Italian nets on the next point. Deuce.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport tennis news reporter at Roland Garros

Image source, Getty Images

It is easy to detect where Cobolli's nearest and dearest are sat on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Behind the baseline where he is serving, just over his right shoulder, is a section of almost 100 people decked out in Italian blue.

A booming serve down the T puts Alexander Zverev on the backfoot and his lob attempt lands just beyond the baseline to hand the advantage to Flavio Cobolli.

But we're brought straight back to deuce as the ball trickles off the net cord and works in favour of the second seed.

Alexander Zverev sends the first break point long and then finds the net as Flavio Cobolli clings on. Deuce.

Image source, EPA

Flavio Cobolli goes long and Alexander Zverev has two chances to grab an early break.

Ryan Harrison
Former French Open men's doubles champion on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Early on I am going to be looking at the first-serve percentage from Flavio Cobolli. He needs to make a lot of his first serves.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport tennis news reporter at Roland Garros

Groans already from the 15,000 crowd when Cobolli double faults.

They want to see a contest, of course, but that reaction is not going to settle his nerves.

Not a good start for Flavio Cobolli. An early double fault gifts Alexander Zverev a 0-30 lead.

Some nervous energy, perhaps?

Image source, Reuters

The 2026 men's singles final at Roland Garros is under way.

Flavio Cobolli serves first to get us started...

The umpire calls time on the warm-ups. We're nearly ready to go...

So who's going to win it?

Thumbs up if you think Flavio Cobolli. Thumbs down if you reckon Alexander Zverev.

Image source, Getty Images

And here's how Alexander Zverev, the second seed, got here...

• First round: 6-3 6-4 6-2 v Benjamin Bonzi
• Second round: 6-4 6-2 6-2 v Tomas Machac
• Third round: 6-4 6-3 5-7 6-2 v Quentin Halys
• Fourth round: 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 6-1 v Jesper de Jong
• Quarter-finals: 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 6-3 v Rafael Jodar [27]
• Semi-finals: 7-5 6-2 3-6 6-3 v Jakub Mensik [26]

The German has played tennis 14 hours and 43 minutes at this year's Roland Garros.

Image source, Getty Images

Here's how 10th seed Flavio Cobolli nagivated his way to the final...

• First round: 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 v Andrea Pellegrino
• Second round: 6-4 6-4 6-4 v Wu Yibing
• Third round: 6-2 6-2 6-3 v Learner Tien [18]
• Fourth round: 6-2 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-5) v Zachary Svajda
• Quarter-finals: 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 6-4 v Felix Auger-Aliassime [4]
• Semi-finals: Walkover v Matteo Arnaldi

The Italian has spent a total of 13 hours and one minute on court.

Tim Henman
Former British number one on TNT Sports

Image source, EPA

The start is really important. It is important for Cobolli, to settle down in his first Grand Slam final. Zverev will try to use that experience to set the tone and be aggressive.

It's been building for the past couple of weeks and it's now about staying consumed by the process, not thinking about the outcome, which is easier said than done.