Cobolli's Breakthrough at French Open
Flavio Cobolli is on the brink of securing his first Grand Slam title at the French Open, currently just two wins away from glory. The 24-year-old Italian is embracing every opportunity to enhance his performance, including adopting the shower cubicle famously used by 14-time champion Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros.
Cobolli achieved a significant milestone by defeating Canadian fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in four sets, marking his first victory over a top-10 ranked opponent at a major and advancing to his inaugural Grand Slam semi-final.
As the 10th seed, Cobolli is set to face fellow Italian Matteo Arnaldi on Friday, with a spot in the final at stake. Arnaldi advanced after his quarter-final opponent, Matteo Berrettini, retired due to a hip injury while trailing by two sets.
Superstitions and Rituals
During his on-court interview, Cobolli revealed several superstitions that he follows, including thanking the crowd in French, maintaining consistent racquet tension regardless of conditions, and adhering to a fixed post-match routine. These habits were further discussed in his press conference.
"I'm a little bit [superstitious] but not crazy - this week I'm a little bit more crazy than the others," Cobolli said. "I just go to the same restaurant, the same menu, the same shower."
He recounted a previous French Open moment when Nadal knocked on the shower door, asking him to hurry because Nadal had been using that cubicle for 14 years.
"He told me that it was his shower since 14 years," Cobolli continued. "So I think the best thing that I'm doing is the shower."
Match Details and Rankings
After dropping the first set, Cobolli rallied to defeat Auger-Aliassime 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Should Jakub Mensik, who faces Alexander Zverev in the other semi-final, fail to win the title, Cobolli will enter the top 10 rankings on Monday.
Arnaldi's victory guarantees an Italian finalist at Roland Garros, a notable outcome following the early exit of favorite Jannik Sinner in the second round and Lorenzo Musetti's withdrawal due to injury.
Match Conditions and Performance
The quarter-final match began under challenging windy conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier, with Auger-Aliassime capturing the first set after a decisive break at 5-4.
Following the closure of the roof on the main court, playing conditions improved. Cobolli initially fell behind with an early break in the second set but mounted a comeback by winning four consecutive games to level the match.
"I think we played two different matches today," Cobolli reflected. "The first set was incredibly windy and it was really tough to play.
"I went to the toilet to think a bit. I tried to change something. I thought 'this is the best court I've played on in my life because I can show my best tennis'.
"I said to myself to fight, this is the chance of my life and I must give everything in all my matches. So today I'm really happy."
Single breaks in both the third and fourth sets were sufficient for Cobolli to secure his semi-final berth after three hours and 24 minutes on court.
Auger-Aliassime's departure leaves Cobolli and second seed Alexander Zverev as the only remaining top-10 seeds in the men's draw.
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