It will be an Italy-Germany final: the sensational withdrawal of Matteo Arnaldi , struck by a virus a few hours before the eagerly awaited all-Italian semi-final with Flavio Cobolli at Roland Garros, gives the Roman tennis player number 13 in the world (in the top 10 from next Monday) the ticket to Sunday's final against Alexander Zverev .
An hour before the French Tennis Federation (FFT), organizer of the Parisian Slam, announced Arnaldi's sudden withdrawal via megaphone, the German world number 3 had qualified as the first finalist, beating the Czech Jakub Mensik, number 27 ATP, in four sets: 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 the score.
"He's a good guy, I like him a lot. And I also really like his father," the Hamburg giant (1.98 m) comments about his future challenger on the banks of the Seine. At 29, Zverev is still seeking his first Major title after losing three finals (US Open 2020, Roland Garros 2024, Australian Open 2025), and many are considering him the favorite.
Fifty years after fellow Italian Adriano Panatta's victory in Paris, 23-year-old Flavio Cobolli says he feels "good," ready to challenge Zverev. Despite his disappointment for Arnaldi, the Italian returned to practice this evening on the Philippe-Chatrier center court "to warm up, try things: there won't be the tension of a match, but I'll try to make this training session as professional as possible to stay in the tournament."
In front of journalists from around the world, Arnaldi explained that he began feeling ill last night, after a normal day of training. "I started feeling nauseous, especially stomach pain. I started vomiting, and I couldn't sleep," Arnaldi said, adding: "Being forced to withdraw before my first Grand Slam semifinal is something I wouldn't wish on anyone."
But, he continues, "I couldn't move, eat, or drink; it was impossible for me to play a match. So it was the right decision." Arnaldi, the lowest-ranked player to reach the Roland Garros semifinals in nearly 30 years, played a series of marathons in Paris, totaling 19 hours and 42 minutes of play across five matches, a Grand Slam record.
Responding to reporters, he ruled out food poisoning : "It definitely wasn't just the food, otherwise (the illness) wouldn't have continued. It's definitely something viral." Of course, between Jannik Sinner's sudden exit, Matteo Berrettini's suspension due to a muscle problem in his match against Arnaldi, and now the virus for the Ligurian, bad luck has dogged the Italian tennis champions. The Italian tennis team is now banking on Cobolli.
(Unioneonline)
