French Open final LIVE: Result and reaction as Alexander Zverev wins Roland Garros title in five-set classic with Flavio Cobolli

Three grand slam finals have come and gone for Alexander Zverev, emerging on the losing side of all of them.

Today, he ended that hoodoo, but not after being taken to the wire by 24-year-old Flavio Cobolli, who threatened to prolong the German’s wait.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV WINS THE FRENCH OPEN!

Another wild overhead at the net goes wide of the mark for Flavio Cobolli, who is broken once again to crown Zverev as champion.

The German finally ends his wait for a grand slam title.

Cobolli’s drop shot falls short of the net. A backhand from the Italian then follows suit. Now a double fault.

It’s 0-40. Three championship points to Zverev.

We’re entering last chance saloon for Cobolli now – but it doesn’t look like it’s going to come for him on Zverev’s serve, so late into this game.

The German holds to 15. He is one game away from finally ending his grand slam hoodoo.

Cobolli has no more room for error, his serve or otherwise.

And while the scoreline may not look promising for him at the moment, he’s done what he’s had to do there. He holds to love.

His physio is back courtside, massaging his quad during the change of ends. The physical toll in this heat must be immeasurable.

A double fault from Zverev gives Cobolli another break point – again, the German fights back and smashes a looping ball into the corner to bring it back to deuce.

Now Zverev has the advantage. A mammoth serve is saved by Cobolli, and while Zverev doesn’t put him with the resulting smash, he does with the next passing volley at the net.

Zverev holds and spares the break, yet again.

We are at the four-hour mark and you can tell just by looking at Zverev’s backhand in this game.

Two lacklustre efforts go straight into the net and just as Cobolli needs it, he’s got two break points. Every game in this deciding set has had a break point – the fortitude required to hold onto your serve at this stage is incredible.

Cobolli fails at the first opportunity, netting his own backhand. He then seems to have Zverev completely out of the next point on several occasions – but somehow the German survives long enough for Cobolli to fluff a smash into the fence. Unbelievable stuff!

Zverev is back on defence but finds himself 15-30 up, with it now Cobolli who is hitting his racket into his quad, feeling the strain of these mammoth match.

That lead goes to 15-40; Zverev is in touching distance of a two-break lead.

Cobolli saves the first with a delightful drop shot. But after Zverev responds with his own in the next point, he fires a backhand pass beyond the Italian who had been forced to the net.

Zverev breaks again! This is his to lose now.

Another drop shot does the trick for Zverev, with Cobolli only able to hit into the net cord. But Cobolli responds with a down-the-line pass of his own.

A big backhand is unretrievable for Cobolli, giving Zverev another opportunity to hold. This time he gets it done.