Flavio Cobolli Celebrates PSG's Triumph While Eyeing French Open Glory
Flavio Cobolli joined Paris St Germain’s Champions League celebrations at Roland Garros on Monday, aiming for another trophy in just six days. The Italian tennis player advanced to his second Grand Slam quarter-final with a 6-2, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5) victory over Zachary Svajda. As the 10th seed in a wide-open draw, Cobolli sees a golden opportunity to reach his first final this Sunday. Before fully committing to tennis, Cobolli was part of Roma’s academy and harbored aspirations in football. At the event, he mingled with PSG stars Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola, and Warren Zaire-Emery, who celebrated their back-to-back Champions League titles after defeating Arsenal. Dembele reflected on the moment, stating, “It’s huge, we’ve worked every day. Roland Garros brings me luck, it’s exceptional.” Zaire-Emery led the crowd in singing the PSG anthem, expressing how bringing the second star back to Paris is “incredible.” Cobolli maintains friendships with former teammates, including Riccardo Calafiori, now with Arsenal. He reminisced, “Everyone knows that I was a football player... But at the end, I don’t like to play with a team – only in Davis Cup.” Despite a shaky finish against Svajda, where Cobolli led 5-2 in the fourth set, he expressed happiness at reaching the quarter-finals. “That means a lot for me,” he said, acknowledging the nerves that come with closing out matches. Italian men’s tennis remains strong, with Matteo Berrettini also advancing and Felix Auger-Aliassime showcasing his skills. Cobolli's next challenge lies ahead as he aims to secure his place in the final.
Source: The Independent Sport - 2026-06-01