Flavio Cobolli beats Auger-Aliassime in four sets, guaranteeing an Italian in the French Open final
Italy's Flavio Cobolli defeated Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the Roland Garros quarter-finals, ensuring an Italian will contest Sunday's final.
The match
Flavio Cobolli, the 24-year-old Italian world number 14 and 10th seed, defeated Canadian fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in four sets on Wednesday at Roland Garros. The match on Court Philippe-Chatrier lasted three hours and 24 minutes, with the roof closed after the first set due to blustery conditions. Cobolli lost the opening set 4-6 but rallied to take the next three 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Auger-Aliassime had been the stronger player early, leading 3-1 in the second set before Cobolli won four consecutive games to level the match. In the third set, the Canadian hit more winners and created multiple break-point chances but could not convert, while Cobolli took his first opportunity. The Italian then broke immediately in the fourth set and held firm to close out the victory.
I played my best tennis and I'm really happy.
An all-Italian semi-final
Cobolli's win sets up a semi-final against a compatriot: either Matteo Berrettini or Matteo Arnaldi, who faced each other in the last quarter-final on Wednesday evening. Cobolli described them as "two of my best friends on the tour" and said he had no preference as to which he would face. The other semi-final, to be played on Friday, pits Germany's Alexander Zverev, the world number three and second seed, against Czech Jakub Mensik, the 27th-ranked 26th seed.
- Jannik Sinner exits in second round after collapsing physically against Juan Manuel Cerundolo.
- Cobolli beats Auger-Aliassime 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the quarter-finals.
- Berrettini vs Arnaldi quarter-final decides Cobolli's semi-final opponent.
- Cobolli faces the winner of Berrettini/Arnaldi in the semi-final.
- French Open men's singles final.
Italy's historic quarter
It is the first time Italy has placed three players in the quarter-finals of the same Grand Slam tournament. The achievement is all the more striking after world number one Jannik Sinner's shock second-round exit, when he collapsed physically in searing heat against Argentina's Juan Manuel Cerundolo.
Cobolli had previously reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2025, where he was eliminated by Novak Djokovic. This is his first Grand Slam semi-final. He will enter the world top ten as a result of his run.
A breakthrough on the big stage
Before Wednesday, Cobolli had faced a top-20 opponent 21 times and won only three of those matches, with none of the victories coming at Grand Slam level (six defeats). He had also won all three of his previous tour-level meetings with Auger-Aliassime. Auger-Aliassime, a nine-time title winner and two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist, could not prevent Cobolli from converting his first break-point chance in the fourth set and closing out the match without offering a path back.
