With no Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz across the net, the second seed battled past Italian first-timer Cobolli 6-1 4-6 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-1.

Zverev is the first German man to win a Grand Slam singles title since Boris Becker at the Australian Open 30 years ago, while it is so long since a German won this title that the victor, Henner Henkel, later died at the Battle of Stalingrad.

He had been the overwhelming favourite ever since the top-ranked Sinner struggled in the first week’s heat wave, while 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic was also dumped out.

The big-serving German was playing his second final at Roland-Garros, having lost in five sets to Alcaraz two years ago, but in the craziest Grand Slam tournament in years, the 29-year-old held his nerve to join the roll of honour and lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires [The Musketeers’ Cup] for the first time.

“I have had the best moments of my life on this court and the worst moment of my life on these courts. I was laying in the corner four years ago over there with seven broken ligaments and two fractured bones.