Incredible twist at Roland Garros: Matteo, struck by a flu attack, had to give up the derby in the semi-final. The German beat Mensik
First Sinner, then Berrettini and now even before playing Matteo Arnaldi. THEThe Ligurian tennis player had to give up playing the semi-final with his Davis Cup partner Flavio Cobolli, for a flu that hit him on the day of the most important match of his career. A real stroke of bad luck for the Ligurian who in Paris had played epic matches like the one against Tiafoe, won after five and a half hours of play. The first twist had seen the protagonist Jannik Sinner who when he was dominating the match against Cerundolo and was only two points away from victory, fell ill, vomited on the court, started playing again after the doctor’s intervention but in the end lost in the fifth set without being able to fight his opponent from a physical point of view. Then it was up to Matteo Berrettini, a stroke of bad luck for the Roman in the quarterfinal match against Arnaldi. Berrettini surrendered for a hip muscle problem. And now Arnaldi, a twist that it deprives us of the first semi-final between two Italians in a Slam in the history of tennis. Flavio Cobolli goes to the final and Sunday on the Philippe Chartrier will face Aleksander Zverev to bring back to Italy a trophy that has been missing since 1976. And it will be the winner of fifty years ago, Adriano Panatta, who will hand the cup to the winner. After retiring, Arnaldi explained: “I felt ill during the night.” And Cobolli greeted him like this: «Thank you because for all of us this week you have been an example for how you fought and how you have always committed yourself to your career. You are the example of an excellent athlete and professional, I hope there will be the opportunity to have another great battle».
Zverev beats Mensik
Alexander Zverev instead he earned the final on the field beating the Czech Jakub Mensik for 7-5 6-2 3-6 6-3. He becomes the second German in history to play more than one final at Roland Garros, after Baron Gottfried von Cramm’s three between 1934 and 1936 (with two victories). He will play the fourth final in a Major, against the fourth different opponent: Flavio Cobolli, and for the first time as favourite. Among other things, he wins the 40th match out of 41 against players outside the top 10 at Roland Garros, from 2018 onwards. Only one defeat, in 2020 against the then n.75 Jannik Sinner. And against another Italian, his second final at Roland Garros will be played: he is ahead 3-1 over Cobolli but Flavio in his home tournament in Munich
