Matteo Arnaldi triumphed in an all-Italian showdown at the French Open, progressing to his first grand slam semifinal after his opponent, Matteo Berrettini, was forced to retire due to injury while trailing 7-5, 5-2.
Berrettini, who required a medical timeout due to what seemed to be hip discomfort after just three games in the second set, ultimately decided to withdraw at the changeover, following advice from his support team.
Ranked 104th in the world, Arnaldi had already spent 17 hours and 42 minutes on the court to reach the quarterfinals and will next face fellow Italian Flavio Cobolli, ensuring that Italy will have representation in the men’s final, even after the early departure of world number one and last year’s finalist Jannik Sinner.
Having played over 10 hours in his previous matches, Arnaldi took two hours to secure his victory on Court Philippe-Chatrier. “It’s a difficult situation. We both put in a lot of effort, so it’s understandable that we weren’t at our peak, but you never want to see someone’s tournament end like that,” Arnaldi commented. “Italy is doing great in tennis. I hope he recovers soon; the grass season is approaching, and he will be a formidable opponent.”
Arnaldi acknowledged his fatigue but emphasized his commitment to training and competing at a high level. “I’m definitely tired, but I work hard and compete in these tournaments. I try to give my best. I felt more exhausted than usual, and I wasn’t as quick as I would have liked in my first match. I had an injury not long ago, but I’m giving it everything I’ve got now.”
Flavio Cobolli exhibited remarkable poise as he overcame challenging conditions to reach his first grand slam semifinal, defeating fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. After losing the first set, Cobolli rallied from a 1-3 deficit in the second set, aided by improved playing conditions following the closure of the roof due to impending rain.
Cobolli’s victory was marked by a confident performance, and he shared some of the superstitions that have contributed to his success during this year’s tournament in Paris, including the use of a shower stall favored by 14-time champion Rafael Nadal. “I have a bit of superstition, but I’m not extreme about it,” said the 10th seed. “However, this week, I’ve been a little more particular than usual. I frequent the same restaurant, order the same dish, and use the same shower.”
“In fact, I mentioned in my first press conference that I use the same shower as Rafa, because I have fond memories associated with it. He told me it’s been his shower for 14 years. So, I believe that the best thing I’m doing this year is… the shower.”
