Flavio Cobolli advanced to his first career Grand Slam semifinal after defeating fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 at the 2026 French Open in Paris.
The three-hour and 24-minute quarterfinal match turned in favor of the 24-year-old Italian when windy weather prompted officials to close the Philippe-Chatrier roof.
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Cobolli capitalized on the indoor conditions by hitting eight aces, converting five of ten break points, and controlling rallies to secure the victory after dropping the opening set.
Superstitions and Rituals
During his post-match press conference, Cobolli admitted to becoming more superstitious during the most significant week of his career.
“I have a few, but I’m not crazy,” he said. “This week, I’m a bit crazier than usual.
I go to the same restaurant, the same menu, the same shower.”
The Italian explained that his locker room routine involves using a specific shower linked to a past interaction with Rafael Nadal.
“I use the same shower as Rafa because I had a memory of that shower where I tried to go look for him, and he called me, and I had to hurry because he was waiting for me,” Cobolli said.
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“He told me it had been his shower for 14 years, so I think the best thing I’ve done is take a shower (laughs).”
Prior to the quarterfinal, Cobolli also spent time cleaning the commemorative plaque dedicated to Nadal on the tournament grounds.
Nadal himself famously maintained meticulous habits, including a cold shower 45 minutes before matches, specific bottle alignments, and avoiding court lines to secure 22 Grand Slam titles.
Other tennis legends have followed strict habits, such as Serena Williams bouncing the ball five times before her first serve and wearing unwashed socks.
Richard Gasquet requested the same ball after winning service points, while Björn Borg grew a beard during Wimbledon until elimination.
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Following the victory, Cobolli will face fellow countryman Matteo Arnaldi in an all-Italian semifinal match.
