Three Italian men reach French Open quarterfinals for first time, guaranteeing a semifinalist

A historic quarterfinal lineup

For the first time in history, three Italian men have reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament. Matteo Berrettini, Matteo Arnaldi, and Flavio Cobolli all won their fourth-round matches at Roland Garros, setting up a pair of quarterfinal clashes on Wednesday. The draw guarantees at least one Italian in the semifinals, as Berrettini and Arnaldi will face each other in the night session. Cobolli, in the same half of the draw, will play Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime earlier in the day.

It's just good for Italian tennis.

The achievement comes despite the stunning second-round exit of world number one Jannik Sinner and the absence of 2025 semifinalist Lorenzo Musetti due to injury. The depth of Italian tennis was also on display in doubles, where Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori saved two match points to reach the semifinals.

Arnaldi's marathon path

Matteo Arnaldi's journey to the quarterfinals has been one of extraordinary endurance. His fourth-round victory over Frances Tiafoe lasted five hours and 26 minutes, a match he described as going beyond simply hitting the ball. "Non era più solo questione di colpire la pallina, ma di andare oltre i limiti," Arnaldi said after the match, his eyes glistening. The win followed three other lengthy battles: four hours and one minute against Griekspoor, three hours and 26 minutes against Tsitsipas, and four hours and 58 minutes against Collignon.

I've played more here than in the rest of the year. I really don't believe I'm still in the game.

Arnaldi entered the tournament recovering from a foot injury that sidelined him for months. His coach, Fabio Colangelo, noted that Arnaldi was still dealing with pain from a microfracture in his left foot during the Tiafoe match.

Cobolli's breakthrough

Flavio Cobolli had never won a match on a center court at a Grand Slam before beating American Learner Tien in straight sets in the third round. The 24-year-old credits Italy's Davis Cup success for preparing him for high-pressure moments. Cobolli clinched the decisive point for Italy's third consecutive Davis Cup title in Bologna last November.

The Davis Cup helped me handle the pressure in matches where there's a lot on the line.

Cobolli grew up playing both tennis and soccer, rising through Roma's youth academy alongside current professionals like Riccardo Calafiori and Edoardo Bove before choosing tennis full-time. He still follows soccer closely and watched Roma's final Serie A match the night before his opening match in Paris.

Berrettini's resurgence

Matteo Berrettini arrived at Roland Garros ranked 105th in the world but has fought his way back into the top echelon. His path included a dramatic 15-13 super tiebreak victory over Comesaña. The quarterfinal appearance guarantees his return to the top 50, and a win over Arnaldi would push him near the top 20. Despite his success on clay, Berrettini's favorite surface remains grass, where he has won four ATP titles and reached the 2021 Wimbledon final. However, his current ranking means he is three spots outside the direct entry list for Wimbledon and may need to play qualifying or receive a wild card.

A team beyond the Davis Cup

The camaraderie among the Italian players has been a recurring theme. Cobolli publicly wished both Matteos luck before their fourth-round matches. After his own win, Berrettini embraced Arnaldi in the corridor leading to the locker room. Filippo Volandri, Italy's Davis Cup captain, has been a constant presence during the matches.

To be able to win the Davis Cup even when Jannik's not playing, the depth is very great there.

FITP president Angelo Binaghi declared the results proof that Italy is the strongest tennis nation in the world, while former coach Vincenzo Santopadre called Italian tennis "more alive than ever." The tournament has already seen 31 of the first 120 matches go to a fifth set, underscoring the competitive depth on display.

Doubles success adds to Italian momentum

Beyond the singles draw, Bolelli and Vavassori reached the doubles semifinals by defeating Petr Nouza and Neil Oberleitner 6-7, 6-1, 7-6, saving two match points in the super tiebreak. The pair, who reached the final in 2024, await the winner of Granollers/Zeballos against Nys/Roger-Vasselin. Additionally, Sara Errani and Vavassori will compete in the mixed doubles semifinals, further highlighting the breadth of Italian tennis at this year's tournament.