Italian Flavio Cobolli is a semi-finalist French Open in tennis. The Italian took a big step by winning 4:6, 6:4, 6:4, 6:4 in the quarterfinals against the fourth-seeded Canadian To Felix Auger-Aliassim. He will face his compatriot in the semi-finals Matteo Arnaldiwho became an even more surprising semi-finalist after his namesake and compatriot bowed out due to injury Matteo Berrettini. Before surrendering, Arnaldi led 7:5 and 2:0. It is the second semi-final pair Alexander Zverev – Jakub Menšík.
Unexpected hero Cobolli, compatriot of number 1 Jannik Sinnerwho has been eliminated before, admitted that he has always been a bit superstitious, but at this year’s tournament at Roland-Garros he took it to a new level – he uses the shower that the 14-time winner Rafael Nadal held as his own as he continues his dream run towards his first Grand Slam title.
Matteo Arnaldi did not expect to enter the first semi-final by surrendering his rival. PHOTO: Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters
On the court, he revealed that he insists on the same string tension in the racket in Paris. The 24-year-old added that he will not change his daily routine and did not stay at the venue to watch the match between his compatriots Berrettini and Arnaldi, preferring to go out to dinner with friends.
“I’m a little superstitious, but not crazy,” 10th-seeded Cobolli later told reporters. “You know, I’m a little crazier than others this week. I go to the same restaurant, order the same menu, use the same shower. I think I said at the first press conference that I use the same shower as Rafa, because I have good memories of it.”
Cobolli said that Nadal, the former No. 1, once knocked on the door of the locker room shower while he was in the shower alone and asked him to hurry up. “He told me it’s been his shower for 14 years,” Cobolli added. “So I think the best thing I’m doing this year is… showering.”
