ATP Tour

Cobolli's promise to himself for first major SF: 'Live the moment'

Flavio Cobolli is paying attention to every little detail as he tries to emulate a certain Spanish lefty by lifting the trophy at Roland Garros.

The No. 14 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Cobolli on Wednesday overcame Felix Auger-Aliassime in four sets to reach his maiden major semi-final. After his 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory, the Italian explained the origins of some of the routines he is keeping around matches this year in Paris, including one linked to record 14-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal.

“I am a little bit [superstitious], but not crazy,” Cobolli said in his post-match press conference in Paris. “But this week I'm a little bit more crazy than others. I just go to the same restaurant, same menu, same shower.

“Actually, I think I said at the first [press conference] that I use the same shower as Rafa [used to use], because I had a memory with that shower. I tried to [delay] him, and he knocked on me, and I had to hurry because he was waiting on me. He told me that it was his shower since [he was] 14 years old, and so I think the best thing that I’m [doing] is [using that] shower.”

Whatever Cobolli is doing off the court, his on-court displays have certainly not disappointed so far this fortnight. On Wednesday, he converted five of 10 break points he earned, according to Infosys Stats, to rally past fourth seed Auger-Aliassime.

“I'm very happy to be sat here [after] winning this match,” Cobolli said. “It means a lot for me, and it's my first semi-final in a Grand Slam. It's a dream come true, and I think today I played a really good match also after a tough first set with tough conditions. But I'm really happy about the performance.”

Cobolli’s Roland Garros run represents a remarkable turnaround from January’s Australian Open, where he lost to then-World No. 186 Arthur Fery in straight sets in the opening round. The Italian even arrived in Paris having lost three of his past four matches, but he has kicked on in a big way on the Paris clay having made one previous major quarter-final.

Cobolli is guaranteed to face a fellow Italian in Friday’s semi-finals, either Matteo Arnaldi or Matteo Berrettini. It will be the biggest match of the 24-year-old’s career so far, but he was quick to play down any concerns about feeling the pressure of the occasion on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

“It depends how you live this kind of thing,” Cobolli said. “I think I never put pressure on myself. I like to live the moment like if I was kid, just with good, big passion, and a big smile. That's what I will also do for the next one.”