In a men’s singles final that has everything except a clear frontrunner, Flavio Cobolli and Alexander Zverev are trading sets like kids trading lunch snacks - with varying nutritional value. Zverev, who some might argue is using up all his bravery just walking around with that ponytail, took the first set 6-1 with the kind of authority that makes you wonder if he’s finally figured out finals. But Cobolli, perhaps remembering he’s actually in a Grand Slam final, clawed back the second set 6-4, prompting a collective “oh, it’s a match now” from the crowd.
Set three saw Zverev edge ahead 6-4, but not without drama: double faults, nervous volleys, and the kind of tension that suggests both players are acutely aware that Sinner and Alcaraz are at home watching. Cobolli, who apparently doesn’t struggle for amorous advances, is now channeling that charisma into his shot selection - sometimes brilliantly, sometimes into the net. The fourth set is currently 2-1 to Cobolli, with Zverev serving to stay in it. Meanwhile, the King of France has opted for a boater hat instead of a crown, which is either a fashion statement or a cry for help.