Life is a dream, but it can also be a nightmare: Flavio Cobolli flies to the semifinals at Roland-Garros, his first in a Grand Slam tournament, where he will face Matteo Arnaldi. Thus, the presence of an Italian in the Parisian final is certain, in the year of the sensational opportunity squandered by a Sinner still struggling with his unknown illness.

Matteo Berrettini, however, once again had to mourn the disappointment, as yet another injury stopped him in the second set of the fourth set against Arnaldi, who was still ahead at that point in the match (7-5, 5-2). The Parisian Grand Slam still goes to Italy this time, much to the delight of FITP president Binaghi, who is now requesting a free-to-air broadcast for the upcoming all-Italian semifinal.

In his quarterfinal, Cobolli defeated Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, world No. 6, in four sets (4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4), with a resounding comeback. Now he's waiting to see who his opponent is in the semifinals, with an all-Italian clash tonight between Matteo Berrettini and Matteo Arnaldi. This afternoon, at the Philippe-Chatrier center court, "these were two different matches. At the start, it was very windy and it was difficult to play," the Roman tennis player explained. Then, after going behind against the Canadian in the first set, the tournament director ordered the automatic roof to be closed due to the risk of rain. And for the twenty-three-year-old, world No. 13 (but soon to be in the Top 10, already after Paris if Mensik doesn't win), it was the beginning of a long recovery. "I told myself, 'Fight,' I had the feeling it was the chance of a lifetime, and I did it. Now there's a little bit left."

This is his first Grand Slam semifinal appearance. After his 3-hour, 24-minute performance, the Roman tennis player sends kisses and caresses to the Centre Court at Porte d'Auteuil. "This is the most beautiful court I've ever played on in my life." "I think the president will be happy," Cobolli adds, referring to Angelo Binaghi, who applauds him from the stands. During the match, Cobolli also had many friends come to support him with the Italian flag.

Berrettini had a tough start, breaking Arnaldi in the first game. However, his rival quickly recovered, sealing the first set in a tiebreak after over an hour and twenty minutes. It was a mini-marathon that must have taken its toll on the Roman's body, as he requested a medical timeout early in the second set due to a problem with his abdominal adductor. Upon his return, he quickly showed signs of distress, and was asked to stop in his stirrup box, eventually forfeiting the match at 5-2 to Arnaldi. Cobolli, who had managed to swim against the current in the first quarter, had a completely different evening.

After losing the first set 6-4 and being broken early in the second, the Roman was able to turn things around: he first caught the Canadian with an immediate counterbreak, then pinned his opponent on the defensive, forcing him into several errors. And once he took the second set, with another break and a final 6-4, he dominated the match, scoring valuable breaks in the remaining two sets and saving three break points from Auger-Aliassime at the end of the third. From there, he raced to victory. The day before yesterday, the former promising young soccer player turned top-level tennis player (Cobolli played in the Roma youth team and is a huge Roma fan) was photographed with the champions of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) wearing the Champions League, just brought from Budapest, on the centre court at Roland Garros. Responding to a question about his emotions, the 23-year-old from Tennis Club Parioli said that "the dream is coming true."

"Whoever dreams the most wins," the Roman tennis player had already said in recent days, after advancing to the next round. Today, another victory to keep the dream going, precisely in the year that marks the seventieth anniversary of the twinning between Paris and Rome, the city of Cobolli and Berrettini, as well as the last Italian to lift the trophy, Adriano Panatta, exactly 50 years ago. And on June 7th, he will be called to center court Philippe-Chatrier to present the Cup to the future champion. Meanwhile, another top seed has emerged from the Roland Garros of outsiders. The women's draw's No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Russia's Diana Shnaider (No. 23) in three sets, 3-6, 7-5, 6-0. "Today I'd like to quit tennis and smash everything," the Belarusian reacted. In the semifinals, Shnaider will face Maja Chwalinska.

(Unioneonline)

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