Three Italians in the round of 16 at Roland Garros, the best way to forget Sinner’s elimination. Berrettini: “Now I’m physically well, I trust my body again”
If there was a way to forget the elimination of Jannik Sinner it was to bring three Italians to the round of 16 at Roland Garros. We achieved this thanks to the victories of Flavio Cobolli, Matteo Berrettini and Matteo Arnaldi. All extraordinary, but the victories of Berrettini and Arnaldi came in the fifth set after real marathons against Comesana and Collignon. Flavio Cobolli’s match was easier and he beat him in three sets the American Tien. But pay attention to Cobolli, he is playing great tennis, he is fit and full of confidence. His journey at Roland Garros could become an important one. In the meantime, let’s enjoy the Saturday that colors Roland Garros white, red and green and congratulations to our boys who demonstrate once again how much the movement has grown in Italy of which Jannik Sinner obviously remains the tip of the iceberg.
The records
For the eighth time in history, three Italians have reached the round of 16 in a Slam in men’s singles. Seven times it happened at Roland Garros. The record remains the four who arrived among the best 16 in Paris in 1947. It is not a record, however: in 1947 there were also four Italians in the round of 16 at Roland Garros. The best of the four, in that edition, is Giovanni Cucelli (of Istrian origins, born Giovanni Kucel), considered one of the strongest players in the world, reached the quarterfinals, stopped in the fifth set by the reigning champion, Marcel Bernard. Beaten in the round of 16 Mario Belardinelli (who later as a coach would be the father of the generation of the Italian Musketeers, winners of the Davis Cup in 1976), defeated by the Hungarian Jozsef Asboth, future winner of the tournament, Carlo Sada And Ferruccio Illo Quintavallefour-time Italian doubles champion in the 1930s, reached the round of 16 effectively without playing. In the Open era, before this edition of Roland Garros, it had only happened twice: in Paris in 2021 and at this year’s Australian Open, the first Slam other than Roland Garros with a similar density of Italians in the fourth round.
Cobolli in fluency
Cobolli started as the favorite, but it was not easy to expect such a crushing victory against Learner Tien: 6-2 6-2 6-3, in one hour and 46 minutesthe final score that rewards the no. 10 on the scoreboard, in total control of the match from start to finish. Cobolli will now face Zachary Svajda. The American beat, somewhat surprisingly, 6-3 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-3 Francisco Cerundolo, n.25 seeded.
Berrettini’s marathon
The longest match of his career, 5 hours and 13 minutes, brings Matteo Berrettini into the second week of Roland Garros after five years. Five hours and thirteen minutes to reach the round of 16 of Roland Garros and try to avenge Jannik Sinner. Matteo Berrettini beats the Argentine Comesana in five sets and will now face Juan Manuel Cerundolothe Argentine actually beat Martin Landaluce 6-4 6-7(7) 7-6(4) 6-7(4) 7-6(8) in an endless match, which lasted 5 hours and 58 minutes. “The fact that I haven’t played here for five years exhilarated me, and I wanted to enjoy another match. When the match is so tight it’s a question of nerves, even a bit of luck can help. I’m happy with how I finished the match, I fought on every point. Under the sun we managed to get to the end. Comesana played a great match, he missed perhaps two balls in five hours – Berrettini’s words at the end of the match won against Comesana -. I had to find a way to win the match that It seemed to never end. Now I will need time to recover. When I arrived here I didn’t expect to reach the round of 16, but there is a lot of physical and mental work behind it. Feeling like this while running for five hours in the sun and catching balls is normal for the nerves to take effect. It happens to every player when the going gets tough. I missed a forehand at 12-12, I just wanted to build the point, and I missed because I was nervous, and it makes the difference. After I returned to play at the end of last summer I went back to thinking I could play at a certain level. Many times the body was there but not the mind or vice versa, it takes time. I currently feel good, physically too. I trust my body againand all the matches I played this year helped me get here with confidence.” And now he can enjoy the moment: “The best thing is that I doubted myself a little too much in the last few months and years. And I had incredible support, everyone still believed in me. I thought that I couldn’t get back to my level, that I couldn’t compete like this again. I got emotional realizing that I’m still capable of it, that I can still win these matches.”
Arnaldi’s feat
And at ten in the evening with the first lights of the night over Paris came the victory of Matteo Arnaldi against the Belgian Collignon. He too in five sets, also with the super break that he won 10-4, closing the match with a spectacular cross-court forehand pass that burned Collignon.
